Drug & Alcohol Testing Industry News
Montreal woman warns of spiked drinks at bars
In her recent interview with CBC News, Montrealer Rozana Ryan discussed her two experiences being drugged in Montreal bars which took place within six months of each other. According to Ryan, the first time, the drug left her immobilized, and she was conscious but...
Cannabis and driving in Saskatchewan
A recent article published in the Saskatoon StarPhoenix and authored by Thia James discussed the lack of clarity regarding how long it is necessary to abstain from driving after using cannabis or related products. According to Glenn Boulet, a Saskatoon man who...
Growing concerns amid xylazine increase in B.C. drug supply
According to the findings of a new report released by Health Canada, the powerful animal tranquilizer xylazine has been rapidly spreading through the country’s illicit drug supply, especially in B.C. and Ontario. Specifically, during the period spanning between 2019...
Better access needed for ‘date-rape drug’ testing: Quebec health minister
Earlier in March, Quebec's health minister Christian Dubé announced that victims of date rape drugs need improved access to testing. "We must ensure that not only are the tests available in hospitals, but that they are available quickly," said Dubé. The announcement...
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...