Drugs

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Washington — Although some state drug laws recently have been revised to legalize marijuana, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration is reminding officials that the federal government’s Drug-Free Workplace Program has not changed.

Cambridge, MA — Workers who receive larger quantities of opioids shortly after an injury, as well as those who are prescribed higher doses, are at increased risk of longer-term opioid use, according to a recent study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute.

Seattle — The cannabis industry needs federal regulations and guidance on workplace safety, according to University of Washington professor and researcher Christopher Simpson.

Secaucus, NJ — U.S. workers in 2019 tested positive for illicit drugs at the highest rate in 16 years – an uptick that could continue this year as a symptom of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an annual analysis by lab services provider Quest Diagnostics.

Itasca, IL — The National Safety Council is calling on both 2020 U.S. presidential campaigns to adopt, as part of their COVID-19 pandemic recovery strategies, the council’s comprehensive plan to combat the national opioid overdose epidemic.

Washington — The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, part of the Department of Health and Human Services, is seeking public comment on long-awaited proposed guidelines on the use of hair samples as a method for drug testing federal employees and safety-sensitive employees in federally regulated industries, including commercial motor vehicle operators.

Itasca, IL — Concerned about the “current and potential” impacts of the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act of 2019 on workplace health and safety, the National Safety Council, the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, and 20 other organizations are calling on the House to conduct hearings on the matter.

Philadelphia — Two physician groups are recommending topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs – with or without menthol gel – as a non-opioid “first-line therapy” for treating acute pain from non-low-back musculoskeletal injuries.

Washington — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has granted to recently furloughed commercial motor vehicle drivers a 90-day waiver from certain preemployment drug testing requirements, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Washington — The first report to use data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s new Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse shows that, from the database’s Sept. 28 launch through May, marijuana was the most common substance found in positive drug and alcohol tests among commercial motor vehicle drivers.