Drug & Alcohol Testing Industry News
U.S. federal labour report shows which industries are still testing for drugs
According to a new federal labour report released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) indicates, drug testing rates at U.S. workplaces have decreased over the last 25 years, as states began legalizing and decriminalizing cannabis use. The report is part of a...
Critics say drug-testing expansion in Metro Vancouver not enough
Despite Vancouver health authorities expanding the use of drug-testing machines in Metro Vancouver, critics have voiced concerns that the scale of services offered is not enough to curb the increase of overdose deaths caused by toxic drug supply. In 2021, Fraser...
Edmonton city council moving forward on decriminalization
On April 11, Edmonton city council was presented with an information report created by the city administration regarding the required steps to apply for an exemption under the federal Controlled Drugs and Substances Act in order to reduce the incidence of...
How Alberta is tackling its toxic drug crisis
A recent analysis article authored by Lisa Johnson and published in the Edmonton Journal discussed the "recovery-oriented care" model used by the provincial government based on the notion that individuals struggling with addiction should be supported in their...
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...