Origin Diagnostics Drug Testing

http://www.origindiagnostics.com

Drug abuse, also known as substance abuse, is repeated excessive use of a chemical substance to achieve a certain effect. There are many reasons for substance abuse. If a person is under a lot of stress, coping with depression, or is dealing with untreated physical or emotional pain, a person may turn to drugs. It is imperative that you know and understand the signs of drug abuse first before reporting her to the human resources department.

Behavior signs
If you observe one or more of these behaviors in a person at work, it is possible that they are abusing drugs:

• deterioration in personal appearance
• restlessness or falls asleep at work
• chronic irritability or unpredictability in personality
• avoidance of co-workers
• blaming of others for work difficulties
• increased absenteeism
• expressing problems at home
• denial that anything is wrong
• sudden weight loss or weight gain

Performance signs
Often, more noticeable for employers are changes in a person’s work performance. These signs may be an indication that the person is involved in substance abuse:

• quality of work decreases
• productivity wanes
• arrives late to work, takes long lunch breaks, and leaves work early
• misses work often
• poor concentration, confusion
• disregard for safety
• errors in judgment

When to report employee drug abuse to human resources
Most companies have EAP (Employee Assistance Programs) to help an employee deal with problem situations such as substance abuse. It is only mandatory to report substance abuse in the workplace if the abuse is taking place on company grounds, it affects the employee’s work or affects other co-workers.

Other possibilities
Keep in mind that these signs may also be a warning of another problem with the person that has nothing to do with drugs, such as mental illness, depression or problems at home.
Trust your instincts
Whether you have witnessed someone at work doing drugs or suspect that she is doing drugs, don’t ignore your instincts that something is wrong. When in doubt, it is best to seek guidance in determining if the employee or your co-worker needs help.

http://www.origindiagnostics.com

Street Names: Downers, Nerve Pills, Tranks

Description: The benzodiazepines are central nervous system (CNS) depressants commonly prescribed for the short-term treatment of anxiety and insomnia. Chlordiazepoxide (Librium) was the first benzodiazepine produced. Diazepam (Valium) was the next to be developed and until the early 1980′s this was the most widely prescribed tranquillizer in the world. Today, newer benzodiazepines such as alprazolam (Xanax) and lorazepam (Ativan) account for most tranquillizer prescriptions.
Benzodiazepines can be detected in urine drug screening from 10 days to 10 weeks depending on usage.

The widespread availability of benzodiazepines has made them common as drugs of abuse. Long-term users typically develop a tolerance to the drugs, requiring larger doses to achieve the desired effects. A psychological and/or physical dependence can develop, making it difficult to discontinue use. Some drug abusers take benzodiazepines to bring them down after using stimulants such as ecstasy or cocaine. Others take them to enhance the effects of alcohol. They are also commonly used as replacement drugs when a user’s drug of first choice is not available.

http://www.origindiagnostics.com

Buprenorphine is an opioid partial agonist. This means that, although buprenorphine is an opioid, and thus can produce typical opioid agonist effects and side effects such as euphoria and respiratory depression, its maximal effects are less than those of full agonists like heroin and methadone. At low doses buprenorphine produces sufficient agonist effect to enable opioid-addicted individuals to discontinue the misuse of opioids without experiencing withdrawal symptoms. The agonist effects of buprenorphine increase linearly with increasing doses of the drug until at moderate doses they reach a plateau and no longer continue to increase with further increases in dose—the “ceiling effect.” Thus, buprenorphine carries a lower risk of abuse, addiction, and side effects compared to full opioid agonists. In fact, in high doses and under certain circumstances, buprenorphine can actually block the effects of full opioid agonists and can precipitate withdrawal symptoms if administered to an opioid-addicted individual while a full agonist is in the bloodstream.

Buprenorphine has poor oral bioavailability and moderate sublingual bioavailability. Formulations for opioid addiction treatment are in the form of sublingual tablets.

Buprenorphine is highly bound to plasma proteins. It is metabolized by the liver via the cytochrome P4503A4 enzyme system into norbuprenorphine and other metabolites. The half-life of buprenorphine is 24–60 hours.

http://www.origindiagnostics.com

MDMA or ecstasy is a Schedule I, synthetic, psychoactive drug possessing stimulant and hallucinogenic properties. Ecstasy possesses chemical variations of the stimulant amphetamine or methamphetamine and a hallucinogen, most often mescaline. Ecstasy is a semi-synthetic chemical compound.

MDMA use is closely tied to the underground rave (and dance club) scene throughout the world, but has also been widely used by therapists as an adjunct to psychotherapy. Because MDMA is so popular and because it goes well with dance parties, the demand for it usually exceeds supply–especially at any given location on any given night.

MDMA, or ‘ecstasy’ is a ‘psychedelic amphetamine’ that has gained popularity over the past 20 years because of its ability to produce strong feelings of comfort, empathy, and connection to others. It most frequently comes in tablet form, although it is occasionally sold in capsules or as powder. It is most frequently used orally and rarely snorted.

http://www.origindiagnostics.com

The cost to employers from illegal drug abuse is over $100 billion every year:

8.2% of full-time workers are current illicit drug uses
80% of drug abusers steal from their workplace
65% of all work related accidents are the direct result of substance abuse
As many as 50% of all workers’ compensation claims involve substance abuse

Employers have an obligation to provide a safe and healthy working environment. Employees who abuse drugs jeopardize the safety and well being of all employees and impact the bottom line. In these economically challenging times, it is more important than ever to prevent and reduce expenses related to substance abuse.

Each substance abuser costs an employer about $9,600 a year in:

Absenteeism
Low productivity
Loss Time From Accidents
Increased Health Care Costs
Increased Workers Compensation Costs
Loss Time Handling Confrontation/Conflicts

Regardless of which tests are done, drug testing always produces a positive return on investment:

Pre-employment drug testing can significantly improve applicant selectivity for your company. Why not avoid hiring an employee that might decrease safety, productivity and moral in your workplace, and cost you money?
Random drug testing has been shown to be a powerful deterrent to substance abuse in the workplace for existing employees. Such programs reduce accidents, improve productivity and may provide savings on workers compensation insurance premiums.
Reasonable Suspicion and Post-incident drug testing may be valuable in reducing liability in your operations. Reasonable Suspicion/ For Cause drug tests consistently produce the highest positive rates (18%).

http://www.origindiagnostics.com

Marijuana is a green or gray mixture of dried, shredded flowers and leaves of the hemp plant (Cannabis sativa). It is the most often used illegal drug in this country. All forms of cannabis are mind-altering (psychoactive) drugs that contain THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), the main active chemical in marijuana.

THC is the chemical in marijuana which makes you feel “high” (which means experiencing a change in mood and seeing or feeling things differently). Certain parts of the plant contain higher levels of THC. The flowers or “buds” have more THC than the stems or leaves.

When  marijuana is smoked, THC goes quickly into the blood through the lungs and then to the brain (this is when the “high” is felt and can happen within a few minutes and can last up to five hours). THC is absorbed more slowly into the blood when marijuana is eaten because it has to pass through the stomach and intestine and can take up to one hour to experience the “high” effects, which can last up to 12 hours. THC is absorbed quickly into body fat and is then released very slowly back into the blood. This process can take up to one month for a single dose of THC to fully leave the body.

Marijuana, the most often used illegal drug in this country, is a product of the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa. The main active chemical in marijuana, also present in other forms of cannabis, is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol). Of the roughly 400 chemicals found in the cannabis plant, THC affects the brain the most.

http://www.origindiagnostics.com

If you are like many small business owners then chances are Workers Compensation premiums are an ever growing portion of your expenditures. As the rate of all insurance, including Workers Comp,continues to increase, business owners are searching for ways to reduce costs while providing benefits. One promising area frequently overlooked by small business owners is creating a Drug Free Workplace.

In order promote the adoption of formalized Drug Free work zones, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) encourage small business owners to develop a drug-free workplace program including drug testing, pre-employment screening and other employee drug testing, education and training policies.  The DOL programs are not invasive and do not require small business owners to become certified or require regulatory oversight to participate. The programs can be customized to fit the needs of each employer.

Many states reward Drug Free workplace participants through discounts on Workers Compensation premium in addition to the typically recognized reduction in accidents and illness routinely recognized by a drug free workforce.  Others may require certification before receiving the full Workers Comp discount.

The rewards go beyond reducing Workers Compensation premiums: Recent research conducted by the University of Florida demonstrate positive outcomes for employee drug testing  including improved safety, more positive employee morale, increased productivity and profitability.

Its clear , whether implementing an employee drug testing program or a full Drug Free workplace campaign, small business owners and employees benefit!

http://www.origindiagnostics.com

Let’s face it having a talk with your employees about drug use is probably the last thing you or your managers really want to deal with. Unfortunately, the wide spread use and prevalence of drug abuse make this a more common problem than you might realize. Use these quick tips to make sure your manager or supervisor is effective and compliant with the rights of the worker and employer.

1. Documentation. Objective facts matter. Use performance reviews, attendance records and other relevant documentation when discussing performance related issues.
2. Don’t Ignore it. The problem will get worse not better. Avoid potential injury or liability issues by addressing the issue before it becomes a problem.
3. Do NOT discuss Alcohol and Drug use or try to diagnose the problem. Stick to the facts even if you suspect something more. Implement the proper protocol designed to address the situation. For example, if it is standard procedure to use drug testing after any accidents then do so immediately in full compliance with established routines then wait for the test to validate or negate your concerns.
4. Never cover up or protect workers. You are enabling them, decreasing morale among other employees and putting your company at risk.
5. Limit comments and actions to those directly impacted and verified by documentations for example, attendance records, performance and productivity measures, complaints from other workers and so forth.
6. Protect employee confidentiality. Remember, the results of employee drug testing may be construed as health or medical related information and is therefore protected by law.
7. Understand the proper procedure and lines of communication outlined in your company policy and manuals. Ask questions in advance if there are areas of concern or questions you are not sure about.
8. Dont rely on memory. Document the facts as they happen and refer back to the documentation whenever communicating directly with the employee.
9. Make sure all employees are informed. Don’t single out an employee even if you suspect a problem. Instead, make sure all employees are aware of the company’s policy on substance abuse and testing as well as consequences for violations of that policy.
10. Enforce the policy. One of the strongest messages you can send is to enforce the Drug Free workplace policy consistently and fairly. It won’t take long before your business is known as a safe and drug free workplace.

http://www.origindiagnostics.com

Drug Testing Programs

A drug-testing program should not be implemented without first establishing policies and procedures. The most common type of testing program is pre-employment. Courts have consistently upheld the legality of requiring a pre-employment drug test as a condition of employment. It is a best practice to obtain a consent and to clearly indicate drug testing is a requirement for employment.

If a firm plans to conduct post-hiring testing for current employees, then the employer should include training and education for supervisors and employees, as well as guidelines for discipline in the event of a positive test. Post employment testing includes random testing (for safety sensitive positions), individualized suspicion testing, post accident testing, and testing that is legally required in certain industries, such as Department of Transportation (DOT) requirements concerning truck drivers. Each of these types of testing is legally sensitive, and an employer should have a program in place before starting.

Although the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and similar state laws provides protection for people who are in rehabilitation for a drug addition, the ADA does not protect people currently using illegal drugs, and does not effect drug testing.