Drugs

Prescription painkillers and the workforce

The number of Americans dying from prescription painkiller overdoses has quadrupled since 1999, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Injured workers are often prescribed narcotics to help relieve their pain. The National Safety Council has launched an initiative aimed at preventing overdoses.

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Study asks: Does taking opioids for back pain delay return to work?

Hamilton, Ontario – Being prescribed an opioid for low back pain may keep workers off the job longer, according to a new study from McMaster University.

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Groups divided over hair sampling for truck driver drug tests

Washington – The American Trucking Associations wants Congress to allow fleets to use hair samples to test truck drivers for illegal drugs.

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Maine DOL to discuss workplace effects of medical marijuana

Augusta, ME – The Maine Department of Labor has announced the formation of a workgroup to study the state’s drug-testing law and the workplace ramifications of medical marijuana.

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Positive drug tests among workers increase for second straight year: report

Madison, NJ – The rate of positive tests for illegal drugs in the general workforce increased for the second consecutive year following a decade of decline, according to lab services provider Quest Diagnostics.

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DOT updates drug and alcohol testing guidelines

Washington – The Department of Transportation has issued updated employer guidelines on drug and alcohol testing.

Safety Tips

The crisis of prescription drug abuse

The National Safety Council states that overdoses -- mostly from prescription opioid painkillers such as Vicodin, Oxycontin and morphine -- are the leading cause of unintentional death among adults ages 25-64.

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HHS looks to expand drug-testing guidelines for federal workplaces

Washington – Federal workplace drug-testing programs could include new and revised guidelines as part of recently proposed rules from the Department of Health and Human Services.

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Guidance