A study recently published by the University of Virginia found the number of deaths due to opioid overdoses is extremely underreported, with the actual number of deaths being around 24% higher. One of the most commonly used metrics is the 91 American deaths per day from opioid overdoses. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports … Read More →

In 2014, more people died of a drug overdose than any other year on record, and today it is the leading cause of injury death in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 91 Americans die from an opioid overdose every day. Many factors have contributed to the opioid … Read More →

Unfortunately, many misconceptions surround substance abuse, addiction, treatment, and recovery. The stigma attached to drug addiction sometimes prevents people from obtaining the help they need. Through education and public awareness, we can eradicate some of the myths about drug addiction and assist those on their way toward recovery.

Flakka [fla-kuh] What is it? Flakka is a synthetic stimulant of the cathinone class that was developed in the 1960s. The drug is technically called alpha-pyrrolidinopentiophenone (alpha-PVP) but more commonly known as “flakka.” Flakka gets its name from Spanish slang for a beautiful woman (“la flaca”) and first became popular in Florida before surging across … Read More →

Fearing a positive result with significant consequences, participants are often willing to go to great lengths to thwart drug tests. They may embrace creative techniques or attempt to foil the results with newfangled technology. Drug test tampering (also known as adulteration) refers to the ingestion of a foreign substance or the addition of a foreign substance to … Read More →

Synthetic Cannabinoids (K2/Spice) [Sin-th-eh-dik Can-uh-bin-oidz] What is it? Synthetic cannabinoids, also known as K2 or “Spice,” are a mixture of herbs and spices that are typically sprayed with synthetic compounds chemically similar to THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. The chemical compounds typically include HU-210, HU-211, JWH-018, and JWH-073. K2 is commonly purchased in head … Read More →

Whether you’re an employer hiring new workers or an applicant seeking a job, you might wonder how pre-employment drug testing laws will affect your search. The federal government heavily regulates some safety-sensitive industries, like transportation, nuclear energy, and military contracting, and requires pre-employment drug testing in certain circumstances. Beyond this, state governments are largely in … Read More →

Methamphetamine [meth-am-fet-uh-meen] What is it? Methamphetamine, commonly shortened to meth, is a synthetic stimulant. It is chemically similar to amphetamine, a drug used to treat ADHD and narcolepsy. Meth is commonly manufactured in illegal and hidden laboratories. Many mix various forms of the stimulant amphetamine or other derivatives to boost its potency. Pseudoephedrine, a common … Read More →

A specimen used in drug testing may be stored, transported, and reviewed several times between the moment a donor provides it and the end of the final test. If you want to ensure that no one adulterates, substitutes, or otherwise tampers with a specimen, you will need to preserve a paper trail of the process. … Read More →

When most people think about methodologies of drug testing – whether at work, at school, for a drug court, or in a treatment center – they think about pee in a cup. While urine is perhaps the most common specimen used to test for illicit drugs (source), it is just one of many options. Before you decide … Read More →