Drug & Alcohol Testing Industry News
Canadian alcohol deaths on the increase
New research carried out by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) demonstrates that alcohol-related hospitalizations and deaths are on the rise, with 10 Canadians dying in hospitals every day due to harm from substance use, with 75% of these deaths...
Ontario emergency rooms see spike in women binge drinking
According to the results of a new research study, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ), emergency room alcohol-related visits by women have increased by 86.5%, compared to 53.2% for men, adding an increased strain on overburdened emergency...
Ontario looks to add hard liquor sales to corner stores
According to the new recommendations contained in the report released by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC), the sale of hard liquor should be allowed alongside beer and wine in convenience stores. Moreover, the OCC has recommended expanding online sales options of...
Blockchain tech to be used to track medicinal cannabis quality
In early June at the second annual World Cannabis Congress, Shoppers Drug Mart announced that it will be implementing a pilot program using the StrainSecure™ platform, a proprietary of TruTrace Technologies, which focuses on the testing of cannabis products to verify...
Yukon to obtain $2.3M for drug training and testing equipment
The federal government announced in July that the Yukon is to receive federal money for drug-testing devices as well as for training police officers to test drivers for drug impairment. Tracy-Anne McPhee, the Yukon's minister of justice, and Larry Bagnell, the MP...
Metrolinx driver fails alcohol test
This past Thursday morning Metrolinx received a call from a concerned passenger on a Go bus route who felt there may be an issue with their bus driver’s ability to drive safely. Due to the concerned passenger’s call, Metrolinx removed the driver from service when the...
Carfentanil death toll rises in Ontario
According to Ontario’s chief medical officer of health, Dr. David Williams, the number of Ontario residents taking carfentanil and dying from it has undergone a “sharp increase” since the beginning of the year. Earlier in June the Ministry of Health sent a letter to...
Nova Scotia woman to challenge roadside cannabis testing laws
Michelle Gray, Halifax resident and medical cannabis user, had her license suspended after her saliva tested positive for cannabis in January. Her lawyer, Jack Lloyd, has confirmed that his law firm plans to initiate a constitutional challenge of Canada’s new impaired...
Same day delivery trials happen in SK and MB
The provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba have begun testing same-day cannabis delivery, thanks to their liberal retail policies, which permit private sectors to operate online stores. As a result, there has been an upsurge in online cannabis delivery start-ups,...