Drug & Alcohol Testing Industry News
Public drinking coming to Canada
In recent months, many Canadian cities have proposed changing laws around public alcohol consumption. Due to the significant impact of COVID-19 and implementation of social distancing measures on the hospitality industry, government officials have been pushing to...
Death penalty for drug smuggling in China
An Australian national, Karm Gilespie, was sentenced to death by a Chinese court in June of this year, after being found guilty of drug trafficking according to the court website. Gillespie was initially arrested at the Guangzhou airport in 2013, carrying over 7.5kg...
FMCSA may not enforce random testing rates for 2020
Earlier in July, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) released a notice regarding its plans for random drug and alcohol testing in 2020. According to FMCSA, it recognizes that covered motor carriers may not be...
Ontario brings COVID-19 testing to the truckers
The Ontario government has created a new system that will make it easier for truck drivers to gain access to COVID-19 testing through a partnership with DriverCheck. The new program is part of the government's efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19 in the province....
Purple heroin warning issued in Eastern Ontario
The Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU) has issued warnings of increased incidence of drug-related overdoses in and around the city of Cornwall. Further, many of the overdoses seem to be linked to the drug referred to as “purple heroin,” “purple,” or “purp.” Purple...
Research shows psychedelics can be used in treatment of mental illness
According to evidence from medical and scientific studies, psychedelic drugs can serve as a promising therapy for treatment of several psychiatric illnesses, including depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A recent literature review published...
Outdated and incomplete impaired driving stats hinder legislative change
According to a recent opinion article published by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Canada, the outdated Canadian data on impairment-related crashes, deaths and injuries prevents proper evaluation of legislation and policies aimed to decrease deaths and injuries...
Fatal overdoses at all time high in British Columbia
According to a new report released by the B.C. Coroners Service, May 2020 was the province’s deadliest month ever for illicit drug overdoses. A total of 170 people died from overdoses in May, as the toxic supply of street drugs continues. B.C. has reported a total of...
Pandemic causes disruptions to illegal drug trade
According to the findings of a recent report published by the United Nations (U.N.), the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the illegal drug trade, affecting nearly every country and various kinds of drugs. The report was created using data from governments and...