Drug & Alcohol Testing Industry News
Cocaine approved for harm reduction in B.C., not public sale
On February 22, the cannabis company Adastra Holdings based in Langley, B.C. announced it had received federal permission to “legally possess, produce, sell and distribute” cocaine. The company is owned by Michael Forbes of the Forbes Group, who also owns several...
Alberta researchers testing AI to measure risk of prescription opioids
Researchers at the University of Alberta are developing a machine learning tool to assess the risk of prescription opioids in order to address the ongoing opioid crisis in Canada. Specifically, doctors could use this AI tool to predict the impacts of a prescription...
Toxic street drugs in Thunder Bay are increasing overdose and death rates
According to a recent analysis published by CBC News using data provided by Path 525, the only safe consumption site in northwestern Ontario, the spike in drug-related overdoses and death rates in Thunder Bay is largely driven by an increasingly toxic street drug...
UBC lab testing new portable drug-checking device
A research lab at the University of British Columbia (UBC) is currently testing a new, portable drug-checking device that could help to identify smaller concentrations of drug components. The laboratory, led by Dr. Jason Hein, associate professor in the Chemistry...
Flexibility in prescribing buprenorphine does not increase overdose deaths: New study
According to the results of a new study, the proportion of opioid-linked overdose deaths involving buprenorphine, a medication used to treat opioid use disorder, did not significantly increase after prescribing flexibilities were introduced in the U.S. during the...
A look inside the drugs circulating in Calgary
A recent analysis published by CBC News and authored by Judy Aldous and Carla Turner examined the composition of drugs seized in the Calgary community. According to data provided by the Calgary Police Service, in terms of drugs dealt by the gram, cocaine accounted for...
Trades people falling victim to addiction
A recent analysis published by CBC News and authored by Judy Aldous, Carla Turner, and Taylor Simmons examined the reasons behind the rise in overdose-related deaths among men working in trades. Isolation, lifestyle, and physical aspects of the job have been...
DATAC Return-To-Duty Webinar
DATAC is starting off 2023 with some new ways to build your industry knowledge! This year we are bringing you a series of webinars to help you navigate the complicated world of drug and alcohol testing in Canada. Often, due to the lack of regulations for drug and...
Decriminalization and safe supply are key for harm reduction: Opinion
A recent editorial published by the McGill Daily and authored by Yunjie Zhang discussed recent efforts to address Canada’s ongoing opioid crisis, as well as the essential roles of decriminalization and safe supply in harm reduction in Montreal. According to data...