Drug & Alcohol Testing Industry News
Fentanyl-laced cocaine appears in B.C. amid calls for safe supply
In recent weeks, Substance UVic, a drug testing lab based in Victoria, B.C. has issued a public warning on social media after dangerous and potentially fatal levels of fentanyl were detected in multiple samples of cocaine. The lab is a part of a research project...
Positive drug tests for U.S. workers hit a record high since 2001
According to recent data released by Quest Diagnostics, one of the largest drug-testing laboratories in the U.S., the incidence of positive drug tests among U.S. workers has reached its highest level in two decades over the past year. Furthermore, the results of the...
New veterinary tranquilizer appears in illicit drug supply
According to a recent analysis article published by CNN Health, one of the latest concerning changes in the illicit drug market across the U.S. and Canada has been the appearance of xylazine, a veterinary tranquilizer also referred to as "tranq" or "tranq dope."...
DOT contemplates oral fluid as drug testing method
On February 28th, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking ("Proposal") in the Federal Register with the aim to amend the transportation industry drug testing program procedures regulation and specifically, to include oral...
Saskatoon woman to be charged with THC-impaired driving causing death
Earlier in March of this year, an 28-year-old woman was charged with impaired driving in the death of the nine-year-old Baeleigh Maurice in Saskatoon on Sept. 9, 2021. The woman, who has not yet been identified, is scheduled to make her first court appearance on April...
Advocacy group uses dark web to buy safe supply
The number of people dying from illicit drugs across Canada has reached record numbers in many provinces, while the opioid crisis has worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, health experts and advocacy groups have been urging the government for the...
Study: Increased access to take-home treatments reduces the risk of overdose
According to the results of a new study examining patients receiving treatment for opioid addiction in Ontario, a recommendation change in March 2020 that allowed for more take-home treatments during the pandemic resulted in less overdoses and in increased retention...
High-profile Saskatoon case will test impairment laws
Earlier in March, a 28-year-old woman was released from Saskatoon police custody after being accused of cannabis-impaired driving and causing the death of 9-year-old Baeleigh Maurice. The victim was riding her scooter at a marked crosswalk in Saskatoon on September...
Making health care work for opioid users
In a recent article published by Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia (UBC), Dr. Seonaid Nolan and Dr. Julia Zazoulina discussed ways to provide better care for individuals affected by opioid use disorder. In 2021, British Columbia reported record...