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Understanding Saliva Drug Testing

2024-08-08T16:32:16-05:00

Understanding Saliva Drug Testing

Saliva drug testing, also known as mouth swab testing, is a simple and effective method for detecting drug use. This type of testing is popular in workplaces, law enforcement, and healthcare settings due to its ease of use and rapid results. Here's everything you need to know about saliva drug testing.

How Saliva Drug Testing Works

Collect the Sample: A sample is collected using a swab or absorbent pad placed between the cheek and gum for a few minutes. This process is quick, painless, and does not require special facilities.
Perform the Test: The saliva sample is placed in a drug test container. Instant test kits use immunoassay test strips to detect drugs, providing immediate results. If further confirmation is needed, the sample is sent to a lab for detailed analysis.
Read the Results: Within five minutes, the test results are displayed. A line next to "T" indicates the presence of drugs, and a line next to "C" confirms the test is working correctly. Saliva tests are especially effective at detecting recent drug use.

Advantages of Saliva Drug Testing

Non-Invasive: Sample collection is straightforward and comfortable, avoiding the embarrassment of urine tests.
Rapid Results: Results are available within minutes, making them ideal for immediate testing needs.
Ease of Administration: No special training or equipment is required, making saliva tests cost-effective.
Detection of Recent Use: Effective at identifying drugs used recently, unlike urine or hair tests.
Legal Compliance: In states with restrictions on THC testing, saliva tests targeting the psychoactive component are legal.
Tamper-Resistant: The sample collection process can be observed, reducing the risk of tampering.

Common Substances Detected

Saliva drug tests commonly detect substances such as marijuana, cocaine, opiates, methamphetamines, amphetamines, barbiturates, oxycodone, methadone, MDMA, phencyclidine, benzodiazepines, and propoxyphene.

See which substances our Oral Fluid Drug Test Kits detect below:

10 Panel Saliva Drug Test Kit (Oral Fluid Mouth Swab)

5 Panel Saliva Drug Test (Oral Fluid Mouth Swab

Detection Time Window

Marijuana: 6-24 hours
Cocaine: 1-3 days
Opiates: 1-2 days
Amphetamines: 1-3 days
Methamphetamines: 1-3 days
Phencyclidine (PCP): 1-3 days
Benzodiazepines: 1-3 days
Oxycodone: 1-2 days
Barbiturates: 1-2 days
Methadone: 1-3 days
Propoxyphene: 1-3 days

(These times may vary based on individual factors and test sensitivity.)

Common Uses for Saliva Drug Testing

Workplace Testing: For pre-employment, random, post-accident, and reasonable suspicion testing.
Law Enforcement: For impaired driving checks and DUI checkpoints.
Rehabilitation Centers: For monitoring and relapse prevention.
Schools: To deter drug use among students and athletes.
Military and Law Enforcement: To ensure fitness for duty and security clearance.
Events: For on-site testing to ensure safety.
Home Use: For testing and establishing accountability with children or other loved ones.

Conclusion

Saliva drug testing is a practical, non-invasive, and reliable method for detecting recent drug use. Its quick results and ease of administration make it a popular choice for various testing scenarios. Understanding its advantages and limitations helps in effectively applying this testing method. By staying informed about the benefits and application of saliva drug testing, you can ensure accurate and timely drug detection, contributing to a safer environment.

How the Covid-19 Pandemic Affected Drug Use at Work

2022-02-27T14:04:00-06:00

The year 2020 presented a wide range of challenges to many of us. One tragic and alarming trend was a dramatic rise in substance abuse and overdose deaths throughout the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), we saw an 18.2% increase in overdoses in 2020. But how did drug use trends change within the workplace?

Data in the Quest Diagnostics 2021 Annual Report on workforce drug testing is drawn from over 7 million employee drug tests administered in 2020, and it shows mixed results.

The overall rate of positive results on workplace drug tests declined slightly from 4.5% in 2019 to 4.4% in 2020. Positive test results for marijuana continued to rise steadily, while amphetamine positivity rates stayed steady at 1.1%, which is what it has been every year since 2016.

Many workers in industries performing public safety or national security roles “requiring a high degree of public trust” are subject to federally-mandated drug testing requirements from the Department of Transportation (DOT), Department of Defense (DOD), or Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRL). In 2020, positivity rates among these Safety-Sensitive workers decreased 8.3% from 2019, but were still 10% higher than the 2016 rates.

As the Safety-Sensitive workforce positive rates decreased, the general workforce rates increased. Overall positivity rates for the general workforce in 2020 increased 3.8% over the previous year, with 5.5% of all tests positive, putting the rate 12.2% higher than in 2016. Nevada and Oklahoma had the highest positivity rates in the country, and Nebraska and Wyoming showed a few of the lowest positivity rates.

Cocaine Positivity Rate Declines

In the general workforce, positive tests for cocaine were down 18.5% at 0.22% positive compared to 2019. This is the lowest number of positive cocaine tests since 2012.

Marijuana Positivity Rate Skyrockets

The positive test rate for marijuana continues to skyrocket in the general workforce, with positivity rate in 2020 being as high as 3.6% in comparison with the 2019 rate of 3.1%. The Safety-Sensitive workforce positive test rate for marijuana started to improve slightly in 2020 at 2.2% positive. While this is still 10% higher than the 2016 rates, it is at least an improvement.

Post-accident marijuana usage in the general workforce is also heading for the stars with 6.4% of tests administered following an accident testing positive. This is a huge cause for concern for employers and employees alike who strive to ensure a safe workplace. Positivity rates in the Safety-Sensitive workforce post-accident tests stayed steady at 1.6% throughout 2019 and 2020.

Not surprisingly, positivity rates in states that have legalized recreational marijuana usage is consistently rising. Positive workplace marijuana tests increased 118.2% since 2012 and sat at 4.8% positivity in 2020. In the states that have not legalized marijuana, the rate also increased, but only 68.4% since 2012 and were charted at 3.2% positive.

Nevada, once again, had one of the highest positivity rates for marijuana in 2020, with the northern midwest and Rocky Mountains area showing the lowest rates.

Ecstasy Positivity Rate Climbs

Positivity for MDMA/MDA 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine–usually referred to as ecstasy–is also on the rise, increasing 25% from 2019 to land at 0.01% positive in 2020. Yes, this is a small number, but ecstasy rates have slowly, yet steadily increased year after year and could become a larger issue if the trend continues.

Helpful Resources for Employers

The US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recommends Workplace Prevention Basics as a resource for employers to learn about preventing substance abuse in the workplace. Find more information about Drug-Free Workplace Programs here

If you want to learn about simple, cost-effective employment drug testing solutions for your business, email us at cs@homehealthtesting.com.

6 Signs of Employee Drug Use

2021-07-01T17:57:00-05:00

Most employers want to respect the privacy of their employees, yet they also need to ensure a safe and productive work environment. Navigating those two important principles can become challenging when there is reason to believe an employee is using drugs. It is important to exercise caution and adhere to regulations regarding employee protections. On the other hand, employee drug abuse is both dangerous and expensive, costing businesses an estimated $81 billion annually and often playing a role in on-the-job injuries and even deaths.

Whether your organization already conducts periodic employment drug screens or not, it’s best to know what the common signs of employee drug abuse are. If you see signs of drug abuse, document what you observe as factually as possible.

How can I tell if an employee is using drugs?

While the only way to know for certain is to obtain a confirmed positive result on a drug test, here are six common signs that could mean an employee is using drugs.

Missing Work or Coming in Late
Accidents On or Off the Job
Decreased Productivity at Work
Behavioral Changes or Erratic Behavior
Changes in Appearance or Speech
Impaired Awareness or Poor Judgement

What to Do if You Suspect Employee Drug Abuse

First of all, if the employee holds a safety-sensitive position and you have reason to believe he or she may currently be impaired, take immediate action. You can remove them from duty and conduct a “For-Cause” drug screen if an employee shows discernible signs of being unfit for duty. This is the best course of action when the health and safety of both the employee and others are involved.
If the situation doesn’t require immediate action, but you suspect drug abuse, document your observations in an objective and factual way. Your workplace sleuthing doesn’t necessarily require you to make accusations right off the bat. Gather information from first-hand sources only, avoiding hearsay or gossip. If an employee shows a pattern of unsafe behavior at work, you can conduct a “Reasonable Suspicion” drug test.

If your organization already has a workplace drug testing program in place, review your policies before you confront or take disciplinary action against an employee for suspected drug use. The laws outlining legal next steps vary from state to state, so you’ll want to make sure you act in accordance with your state’s laws.

The Americans with Disabilities Acts protects individuals with alcohol dependency and those who develop an addiction to legally prescribed medications. It does not offer protection to a current user of illegal drugs, but it does cover a person in recovery who has already quit using them.

Federal contractors and safety-sensitive positions within the Department of Transportation (DOT) are required to establish a Drug-Free Workplace according to federal guidelines, and are mandated to carry out routine workplace drug screening.

An employer is permitted to conduct drug tests in five situations.

Pre-employment
As part of an Annual Physical
For-Cause and Reasonable Suspicion
Post Accident
Post Treatment after rehabilitation

Urine testing has been the standard method of workplace screening for some time, but mouth-swab drug tests are becoming increasingly popular. They are easier to perform in a work environment, and saliva tests indicate past drug use within a shorter detection time window, generally between 1 hour and 3 days. This gives a better indication of what substances an individual has used more recently, which is more likely to directly affect performance at work due to impairment or withdrawals.

However your drug screening policy is structured, clearly communicate your expectations and policies to your employees before you hire them and whenever you implement a change. Your ultimate goal is not to catch someone doing something they shouldn't, but to foster a productive, drug-free workplace from day one.

Highest Positive Workplace Drug Test Results in 12 Years

2018-01-31T16:45:00-06:00

Drug use in the American workforce is compiled in the Annual Quest Diagnostics Drug Testing Index and 2016 showed the highest positive drug test results in 12 years. The report analyzed results of over 10 million workplace drug tests to find that 2016 positive test results went up five percent over the previous year to 4.2 percent of all tests. This is the highest annual positive rate since 2004.

In 2016 there was a 12 percent increase in Cocaine positive tests. Cocaine positive testing has now increased 4 years in a row. The press or media typically highlight our opioid epidemic and the marijuana laws, but cocaine use is also on the rise.

In the same study, they cited that heroin detection has plateaued and prescription opiate positive testing actually declined 28% from .96 percent of test results to .69 percent. These facts are hopeful that possibly some of the attention on the opioid crisis is having a positive impact.

Quest Diagnostics also publishes this data on an Interactive Map showing urine drug test positivity regionally in the USA.

Looking at this map shows that that the Southeast clearly leads the nation in positive drug test results. The national average is 4.2% of employees tested were positive, but look at the rates (dark green) in the these states - all above the national average:

If you want to know more about what drugs are showing up in your own area, go to the Interactive Drug Map and click on the drug list at the bottom left and you will see how your area compares to the rest of the country.

For example, here is where positive cocaine tests are the highest

The interactive map is useful for determining the drug culture of your own area and gives any small business the ability to determine the best drug testing policies for your business and workforce.

Drug Test for Prescription Drugs

2017-06-21T17:40:00-05:00

Alere Toxicology just released a brand new CLIA waived 5 Panel Rx Drug Screen with specimen validity test. The new I-RXA-157-01 tests for:

Benzodiazepines (300 ng/mL)
Buprenorphine (10 ng/mL)
Methadone (300 ng/mL)
Opiates (300 ng/mL)
Oxycodone (100 ng/mL)

This new test targets the most commonly prescribed and misused prescription drugs and will provide instant results for clinicians. The integrated cups are easy to use since they are self contained and are ideal for sending preliminary positive specimens to a lab for confirmation.

A temperature strip and specimen validity test are built in to check for specimen tampering checking Creatinine (CR), Nitrites (NI), Oxidants (OX), pH (PH), and specific gravity (SG).

The urine drug screen for prescription drugs are available at POCTestSupply in boxes of 25 tests.

Alcohol Testing with your iPhone

2013-05-16T17:20:00-05:00

Are you leaving a party after having a few glasses of wine or beer and feeling anxious about getting behind the wheel? Are you afraid of getting pulled over and failing a police officer’s breathalyzer test? You can now test your blood alcohol content (BAC) using your iPhone. Three different iPhone apps have been developed to measure the effect of the amount of alcohol you have consumed. The user must be at least seventeen years of age in order to download and install any of these iPhone apps.

Last Call

The Last Call by Avvo, Inc. is a free iPhone app that calculates a user’s blood alcohol content by allowing him or her to monitor their blood alcohol level with each drink consumed. You enter each drink into your Last Call log in the same way as you would use an app to keep track of nutrition or exercise data. As you consume each drink the app will update the total amount instantly. Your total blood alcohol content will identify high levels of blood alcohol. This is particularly helpful if you have had one too many drinks and you don’t feel comfortable getting behind the wheel. This app also has a feature that connects the user with local taxi cab companies. Last Call will also connect you with the top DUI attorneys in the area should you find yourself in a sticky situation with the local authorities. The Last Call app can also be used on an iPad or iPod Touch.

While the Last Call is a good idea, it would not be a reliable solution to tell you when you are impaired since you, the impaired one, are responsible for entering the data while you are drinking.

BreathalEyes

BreathalEyes blood alcohol content scanner is available for $1.99 and is designed for iPhones and iPads from developer Xplor Apps, LLC. This app only works on intoxicated users. It is designed to measure blood alcohol content by scanning the user’s eye and analyzing the horizontal gaze nystagmus (HGN). Nystagmus is involuntary twitching and movement of the eyeball that occurs after an individual becomes tipsy. The brain function and faculty control is impaired and an individual’s eyeball bounces horizontally. BreathalEyes is able to display a user’s blood alcohol content with an effective range of 0.02% to 0.20% by analyzing the spontaneous eyeball bobbles. The developer claims that there is more than four decades of research behind this technology. Major benefits of the BreathalEyes app include the fact that it does not require a network connection and the app does not clutter your screen with any advertisements. There is an option to share your BreathalEyes results publicly on social networks. The BreathalEyes app will not record your data unless you choose to share it. This app works best on iPhone 4 or later devices.

If the technology behind BreathalEyes is reliable then it may be a good solution for measuring blood alcohol content. The folks over at Huff Post tested the app and got some mixed results and stated "we found that, while the app reliably gave higher scores to those who were boozing than those who were abstaining, it still gave a 0.05 BAC to several ladies and gents who were stone-cold sober." However, the BreathalEyes website clearly says it only works on intoxicated people.

The one drawback to BreathalEyes is that you cannot measure yourself and must have another person available to scan your eye with the phone camera.

Breathometer

The Breathometer device is available for preorder through its own website and is a $49.00 add-on device designed for most smartphones. Breathometer links onto a key chain or slips right into your pocket. You plug the Breathometer device into the audio jack of your smartphone when you want to use it. Once the device is plugged in you simply exhale into the device in order to test the blood alcohol concentration level on your breath. Using the Breathometer is a fun way to test your blood alcohol level. You can also share your Breathometer with friends and let them test it out. An added bonus is that the device is sleek and looks fashionable on your key chain.

The Breathometer seems to solve the user issues of the two previous apps since it can give the answer without the help of data input or another person. The drawback is having to carry a device in addition to your phone while it is small and does fit on a keychain, you are still responsible for having the device when you need it.

Your Phone - No app necessary

If you are questioning your ability to drive, the most reliable solution is to use your phone as a phone and call a cab or a friend to pick you up.

The Future of Marijuana in the Drug Free Workplace

2013-05-07T15:48:00-05:00

Recent developments in marijuana legislation and legalization has left many companies and individuals alike wondering whether drug free workplaces are required to test for marijuana. As marijuana laws change many people believe that it should not be lumped in with other drugs that are traditionally tested for such as meth, heroin and cocaine. The legalization of marijuana in some states is complicating workplace drug testing.

In 1989, the Federal Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 became law. This law required that all federal contractors who receive $100,000 or more, as well as all federal grant recipients, must comply with its requirements. What is often overlooked is that the Act did not require drug testing. Actually, here is a quote from the Department of Labors website's FAQ about the Drug Free Workplace Act:

Is drug testing required or authorized under these regulations?

The Act and these rules neither require nor authorize drug testing. The legislative history of the Drug-Free Workplace Act indicates that Congress did not intend to impose any additional requirements beyond those set forth in the Act. Specifically, the legislative history precludes the imposition of drug testing of employees as part of the implementation of the Act. At the same time, these rules in no way preclude employers from conducting drug testing programs in response to government requirements (e.g., Department of Transportation or Nuclear Regulatory Commission rules) or on their own independent legal authority.

What the Drug Free Workplace Act did require was policies, information, education about the dangers of drugs and resources if you have a drug or substance issue, but not testing.

There are many arguments both for and against testing for marijuana. Some people believe that those who are operating heavy machinery or dangerous machinery such as forklifts should be regularly tested for marijuana usage because it may affect their ability to do their job. However, others believe this is unfair because these same employees are not tested for alcohol abuse and alcohol abuse is equally if not more detrimental to motor skills and response times. Some companies today are fine with medicinal marijuana use as long as the person is not in a position in which it could be a safety hazard.

While as of now there is no actual mandate requiring the testing of employees for marijuana, federal employees are still usually tested for marijuana and it is likely these companies will continue to do so until it is legalized on a federal level. This means that employees that are both directly employed by the federal government and indirectly employed through federal contracts are very likely to be drug tested for marijuana usage.

Employers will grapple with these issues for years to come as both State and Federal laws change. Take a look at this employer's point of view in Colorado since his company has federal contracts and he does not want to have any problems meeting his Federal requirements, but realizes it may be harder to find employees who can pass a drug test.

From the drug test perspective, there are few multiple panel tests that don't include marijuana, but that may be changing. We have been notified that drug testing manufacturers will be adding multi panel tests without marijuana in the next few months. So we may have a twelve panel drug test in stock soon that omits a THC test. The question remains, when will workplaces adopt new policies to adapt to the social and legal changes in our country.

Heroin in the Suburbs

2013-04-16T17:20:00-05:00

USA Today published Heroin is Back , a detailed story from Charlotte, NC to Maine to California, all seeing heroin spreading to the suburbs. Concerned about a rise in heroin dependence in the detox ward, Carolinas Medical Center wanted to dig deeper in the data and found that their heroin patients came from the five best neighborhoods in the Charlotte area.

Many Americans are becoming addicted to prescription painkillers and as they find it more difficult to either get the prescriptions or find them illegally on the street, they are turning to heroin to feed their habit which is causing great concern for the medical community. Moving from a prescription drug to a street drug imposes many risks for the user since street drugs can be of unknown quality or dose and heroin specifically requires needle use.

"As bad as oxycodone is, heroin is worse," Publicker said. "It's worse because here in Maine, it's injected. We're talking about a novice population of drug injectors who are not educated about needle use."

Plain and simple, heroin is cheaper too. According to DEA Special Agent Amy Roderick in San Diego, one oxy pill may sell for $100 a pill while you can buy heroin for $80 a gram.

"You're just getting more bang for the buck," Roderick said. "Once you're addicted to an opiate, you're addicted. If you can't get what you want, you'll take what you can get,"

Across the country this epidemic is playing out, it started with prescription painkillers being loosely prescribed and creating addicts. Then as slightly more regulation was brought in to curb the amount of the painkillers prescribed or to prevent the way they could be used, the addict was already hooked. So while some areas of the country are seeing less prescription painkiller use, there are many areas seeing increased heroin addictions or heroin overdoses.

Suboxone Use Grows

2013-02-01T20:45:00-06:00

Buprenorphine is used to treat opioid dependence and ease the withdrawl symptoms of drugs like heroin. Buprenorphine is marketed under the names Suboxone and Subutex and was approved by the FDA in 2002.

The drug is closely regulated and doctors must be approved in order to prescribe it, in 2005 there were only 5,656 physicians certified to prescribe Suboxone for the treatment of addiction to opiates. The 2010 data is now available and there are now 18,582 certified physicians prescribing Buprenorphine and the number of patients receiving it has risen from 100,000 in 2005 to 800,000 in 2010.

The sharp rise in the use of Buprenorphine has also had its impact on Emergency Department visits involving the drug, see this chart provided by SAMHSA Drug Abuse Warning Network

[caption id="attachment_1282" align="aligncenter" width="400"]

Emergency Department (ED) Visits Involving Buprenorphine: 2005 to 2010[/caption]

While many of those visits were from patients seeking substance abuse treatment or having a drug reaction or interaction, a full 52% or 15,778 of those visits were for non-medical use of the drug. Nonmedical use includes taking more than the prescribed dose of a prescription medication or, taking a prescription medication prescribed for someone else, or misusing or abusing a prescription medication.

Where to get a home drug test?

2012-12-14T20:33:00-06:00

[caption id="attachment_1242" align="alignleft" width="300"]

Home Drug Test at Walgreens[/caption]

While it may be difficult to know where to look, you can now find home drug tests in most drug stores. The drug tests are typically found around other home tests or "Health Monitors". The drugstores offer multi panel drug tests that can test for four, six or twelve different drugs or a single test for Marijuana or Cocaine.

Our recent survey of CVS, Walgreens and Walmart showed that a twelve panel drug test averaged $39.41 and a Marijuana (THC) only test averaged $15.53

[caption id="attachment_1259" align="aligncenter" width="660"]

Drug Test Kits CVS[/caption]

Why are the drug tests at the stores more expensive than the ones you can buy online?

Here is the reason:

[caption id="attachment_1250" align="aligncenter" width="300"]

at home drug test box[/caption]

While each of these home drug tests will give you a result in five minutes, the test actually includes laboratory testing if you choose to send the urine sample to the lab. As you can see on the box it says "laboratory testing, if necessary". If you use the at home drug test and get your answer in five minutes and choose not to send it to a lab, there is no refund of the included lab fees.

Before you purchase a home drug test, you need to decide if you will need lab testing. Lab testing of a urine sample is typically used after a positive drug screen, but it is not required. If you are using a drug test for yourself or someone else and the test is negative then you are finished. However, if the test is positive you may want to send the urine sample to a lab so they can confirm if the test is actually positive for the drug you tested for or if it is a false positive caused from some other drug or chemical. For example, the drug Zantac can cause a false positive on a Meth drug test.

While the drugstores averaged $15.53 for a marijuana test, over at homehealthtesting.com we sell a marijuana drug test for $1.90. The test we sell is manufactured by the same company that sells the more expensive tests in stores, however it does not include the lab testing fees. Some people believe the tests in the drug store are more expensive because they are more reliable and that is not true. The truth is those tests include lab testing that you may not even use.

When looking for a home drug test, look for a test that is FDA cleared and it should clearly state the accuracy level of the test since it is required for the FDA approval. If you get a positive result on a urine drug test, you can always take that urine sample to drug testing lab in your own town and get the lab confirmation, but you don't have to pay for that service until you need it.

You can rely on the quality of the cheap drug tests you find online, if they are FDA cleared. In drug testing, don't be fooled with the "you get what you pay for attitude" and don't pay for something you don't need.

Advertise Happiness

2012-12-06T19:23:00-06:00

After a long stressful day at work you come home to cook dinner, feed the dog, do the dishes and then finally settle down to unwind by watching television. As you try to relax you are assaulted with commercials about depression with a soothing voice asking "Are you sad?" or "Are you tired?". There are days the answer is yes, but does that mean medication is necessary.

Then the Abilify commercial informs you that 2 out of 3 people being treated for depression still have symptoms of depression, so you should add Abilify to your current medication. Instead of adding Abilify, maybe we should question why 2 out of 3 people are not being helped by their antidepressants or better yet question why 11 percent of Americans are taking an antidepressant.

Antipsychotics or psychiatric medications are the largest revenue producers for pharmaceutical companies. An estimated $15 billion per year goes to fuel the demand of psychiatric prescription drugs with antidepressants being the most profitable of this class of drugs. What used to be prescribed by psychiatrists is now easily prescribed by your family doctor to treat depression, anxiety and fatigue.

Pharmaceutical companies often spend more on advertising than they do on research and development of drugs. The TV commercials asking us personal questions should not be used to "sell" drugs. If we have a physical or emotional problem then we should make an appointment with a doctor, however, we should not be asked on a daily basis to evaluate our emotional state from our living room. The power of suggestion and repetition is great. If you see several ads for dessert then you want dessert and you go and get it. Same with drugs, after you have had heard "are you sad?" enough times, you begin to question it for yourself.

As a culture, we are so worried that children may be influenced to take up smoking, that we have put every limit possible on the tobacco industry to prevent advertising. But what do children think when they see the repeated advertising for depression? Are children answering the questions for themselves or are they looking at Mom or Dad and wondering if they are sad?

If we have the audacity to require tobacco companies to pay for advertising to prevent smoking and warn of the dangers, then maybe we should demand that the pharmaceutical companies start running "happiness" ads. What about the soothing voice saying "What are you grateful for today?" or "Turn off the TV and take your dog for a walk."

Marketing Oxy - at what cost?

2012-09-17T16:22:00-05:00

Oxycontin is the number one selling prescription pain pill sold in the USA with sales reaching $3 billion per year. There are other forms of prescription opioids and all together their sales have quadrupled over the last decade. The warning bells are sounding in our country that we have a prescription painkiller epidemic on our hands.

In 1998, Purdue Pharma the maker of Oxy, made a marketing video that was shown to 15,000 doctors that claimed Oxy was less addictive than other drugs. The paid doctor in the video urged other doctors to prescribe opioids more often. That doctor now says some of his statements went too far and there were no studies of the long term effects of the drug.

A four year investigation into Purdue Pharma and their marketing arm Purdue Frederick ended in 2007 when Purdue Frederick Company pled guilty to charges of knowingly and fraudulently misbranding Oxycontin as being less addictive, less subject to abuse and diversion, and less likely to cause tolerance and withdrawal problems, than other pain medications. Purdue agreed to pay a $634.5 million fine.

That 1998 video highlighted seven patients who were successfully using Oxy. Take a look at this follow up video completed in 2012, fourteen years since they endorsed Oxy. What happened to the poster children of Oxycontin?

Suboxone - Miracle Drug Relegated to the Streets

2012-08-31T18:45:00-05:00

Suboxone (generic name: buprenorphine) has been called a miracle drug in the treatment of opiate addiction by doctors and addicts alike. It has been a legal prescription drug since Congress went out of its way to pass the Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2000, which was solely aimed at allowing suboxone to come to market. Suboxone has been shown to save lives, reduce crime and reduce the spread of HIV infections. To top it off, unlike methadone, suboxone is almost impossible to over-dose on and it is not addictive.

“People who are treated with suboxone are able to get back to school, they’re able to go back to work, they’re able to start paying taxes and taking care of their children,” says Dr. Miriam Komaromy, who directs a state funded treatment hospital in New Mexico.

Pretty heady stuff for a drug that is slowly being relegated to street crime status. How is it that a drug the US government poured millions of dollars and decades of research and development into is so hard for doctors to prescribe?

The problem can be broken down as follows:

Because suboxone is an opiate it has created a War of the Roses within the US government between the FDA, which is pushing for distribution in order to stem the disease of drug addiction and the DEA which is forcing regulations on distribution in order to stem crime associated with addiction.
Doctors are forced to complete special training just to obtain a license to prescribe the drug and are restricted to the number of patients they can prescribe to. Roughly a quarter of US licensed doctors can treat 100 patients a year. The rest are restricted to only 30 patients a year.
Many physicians are reluctant to prescribe suboxone for fear of attracting opiate addicts into their practices, which creates its own set of problems.
Since 2000 the addiction rate for opiate pain relievers has tripled in the US. The demand for suboxone has far outreached the antiquated limits the DEA has imposed on the medical community to deal with the problem.
Addicts are unable to afford the doctor visits necessary to receive the prescriptions.

Put this all together at a time when the US is going through an opiate pain pill epidemic and you are left with addicts attempting to self medicate on the streets from drug dealers who keep up with demand by getting their hands on black market suboxone pills. A situation which feeds a street crime culture that puts a burden on all of us and leaves “a miracle drug” twisting in the wind.

Put a face to Oxy Epidemic

2012-08-01T16:53:00-05:00

If you want to put a face to the epidemic problem of painkillers in the USA, take a look at this video by the folks over at Oxy Watchdog. Thanks Erin for sharing your story about your brother, Pat, and for allowing others to share their stories on your Memory Wall

Prescription Drugs and America’s War on Drugs

2012-07-31T16:40:00-05:00

Here’s a surprising and somewhat alarming statistic that was recently released by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), an annual survey sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA):

Of the 36,450 overdose deaths in the United States in 2008

20,044 were from prescription painkillers,

more than all the illicit drugs combined.

This is a brief breakdown on how these drugs were obtained for persons aged 12 or older in 2009-2010 who used pain relievers non-medically in the past 12 months:

55% got the drug from a friend or relative for free
17.3% reported they got the drug from a doctor
4% got pain relievers from a drug dealer or other stranger,
0.4% bought them on the internet.

Among those who reported getting the pain reliever from a friend or relative for free, 79% reported that the friend or relative had obtained the drugs from just one doctor.

For us, here at Home Health Testing, there is no question that there has been a significant up-tick in orders for our OxyContin/OxyCodone urine drug tests which is a first hand indicator that more people are concerned about the abuse of prescription drugs.

The results of this survey also bring to light the momentum for a broader change in domestic drug policy (as opposed to foreign drug policy) that appears to be building in the US. Just two months ago, at a conference held here in North Carolina a top echelon of law enforcement officials, including Attorney General Roy Cooper, reaffirmed its commitment to curbing prescription drug abuse.

Armed with the disquieting information that prescription drug abuse kills more people each year than heroin and cocaine combined, these officials were unanimous in voicing support for expanding a state wide database to help doctors and investigators pinpoint those bouncing from doctor to doctor obtaining prescriptions in a practice known as doctor shopping.

Currently, only about 28 percent of North Carolina's 32,000 medical doctors are registered to use the system, said Bill Bronson, director of the state's drug control unit.

How To Catch Someone Trying To Pass A Drug Test

2012-07-08T23:00:00-05:00

Adulteration is the tampering of a urine sample in order to produce a desired result. There are many adulterants that are on the market that try to do this. Adulterants can either create false negatives or destroy the drugs in the urine, or both. People also try to dilute urine in order to get a false negative result.

Fortunately, drug tests are ready to take this challenge on. One of the best ways to test for urine sample adulteration or dilution is to determine certain urinary characteristics such as pH, specific gravity, oxidants/PCC, nitrite, glutaraldehyde and creatinine.

pH: This tests for the presence of acidic or alkaline adulterants in urine. Normal pH levels should be between 4.0 and 9.0. If outside this range, the sample may have been altered.

Specific gravity: This tests for sample dilution. The normal range is between 1.003 to 1.030. If the value is not within this range it may be the result of dilution or adulteration.

Oxidants/PCC: This tests for the presence of oxidizing agents such as bleach and hydrogen peroxide. UrineLuck, a popular adulterant product, is one of the agents tested for. Normal human urine should not contain oxidants or PCC.

Nitrite: This tests for common adulterants like Klear or Whizzies. These adulterants work by oxidizing the marijuana metabolite THC-COOH. Normal urine should contain no trace of nitrite. If the urine is nitrite positive, then the urine was probably adulterated.

Glutaraldehyde: This tests for the presence of aldehydes. Adulterants that it tests for include UrinAid and Clear Choice. Both contain glutaraldehyde which can cause false negatives by disrupting the enzyme used in some urine tests. Glutaraldehyde is not normally in urine; so when it is found it is generally a good indication that adulteration has occurred.

Creatinine: This is a waste product of creatine which is naturally found in muscle tissue and urine. A person may try to dilute their results by drinking excessive amounts of water or using diuretics like herbal teas to “flush” their system. Like specific gravity, creatinine is a way of checking for dilution and flushing/”cleansing” tactics. If specific gravity and creatinine are low, the urine may have been diluted. If there is no creatinine in the urine (or it is below 5 mg/dl) then the specimen is not consistent with normal human urine.

Home Health Testing offers two drug tests that have the technology to detect adulterants and make sure the urine sample is fresh. These are the 4 and 5 panel iCups (see below). Through easy to read color charts you can determine the pH and specific gravity of a sample, and also find out if there are any Oxidants/PCC in the sample. Dilution products and products like UrineLuck WILL be detected. If you are worried about someone trying to cheat a drug test you are administering, these tests are for you! The 4 panel tests for marijuana, cocaine, opiates and methamphetamine, while the 5 panel tests for all of those and amphetamines. Order now!

The Ultimate Hair Drug Test FAQ

2012-07-05T23:00:00-05:00

To see our tests, check out our hair drug test page.

What drugs are tested for by the hair drug test?

The drugs tested for by the PDT-90 hair follicle drug test are marijuana, cocaine, opiates, methamphetamines, ecstasy and PCP. The Express, Standard, Legal Workplace, and the Illegal & Prescription hair follicle drug test detect marijuana, cocaine, opiates, amphetamines, methamphetamines, ecstasy and PCP. So, the only drug type the PDT-90 does not test for that the other kits do is amphetamines.

How much hair is needed for a hair drug test?

Length:

The minimum amount of hair needed for a hair drug test: a half inch. A half inch of hair represents about a 30 day drug history.

The maximum amount of hair needed for a hair drug test: the lab will only analyze the most recent inch and a half of hair (giving you a 90 day drug history). However, when you submit your hair sample, do not shorten the hair you provide. If your hair is 8 inches long, submit the entire 8 inches in length. The instructions in your kit will explain how to wrap the excess hair around the collection foil.

Thickness:

The thickness/width of the sample you provide should be 120 hairs or so. This is about the diameter of a pencil.

How do you collect the hair?

You can collect the hair from multiple places on the head. You must cut the hair from as close to the scalp as possible. After you cut the hair, you place it in a collection foil with all the root ends arranged together.

If you for some reason have a sample of hair that cannot be arranged with all the root ends together, the laboratory may still analyze the sample, but following the collection procedure carefully is still suggested.

The root ends being arranged together is NOT important if the hair sample is less than an inch and a half long. The reason the root ends must be arranged together if the hair is longer is because upon receiving the sample the laboratory will cut the hair down to an inch and a half in length.

How long does it take drugs to enter the hair?

It takes about 5-7 days for the hair affected by the drug use to grow out above the scalp. In the case of body hair, it takes longer.

How do you properly package long hair?

If the hair is long, you can wrap the remaining hair around the collection foil.

Can I submit hair collected a while ago?

Yes (but not too long ago). For example, you can collect the sample before the test arrives or a month ahead of time.

Can I use hair from a hairbrush?

We do not recommend this for a number of reasons. Hairs from a hairbrush may not all be from the same time period or person. It is also nearly impossible to arrange them so that all the root ends of the sample are together. If the sample is not properly collected, the lab may be unable to analyze it (and in such cases, Home Health Testing does not accept the return of the product). We recommend that the person you are hair testing knows they are being tested.

Can I submit just one hair?

Unfortunately, you may not. The sample size is about 120 hairs (please see above for more information).

Can I use body hair?

You can submit body hair in the following tests: the Express Hair Follicle Drug Test, the Standard Hair Follicle Drug Test, the Legal Workplace Hair Drug Test Kit, and the Illegal & Prescription Hair Follicle Drug Test.

The only test that does not accept body hair submissions is the PDT-90 Hair Follicle Drug Test.

How do I collect body hair?

Be sure to collect hair that is at least half an inch long. You can collect hair from the underarms, arms, legs, or chest.

What time frame does body hair represent?

A sample of body hair an inch and a half in length will give you a history of about 5-6 months, as body hair grows more slowly than hair on the head. This also means that it takes longer for drugs to grow out into the body hair than the head hair.

What is the difference between Standard and Express versions of the hair follicle drug test?

The differences between the Standard and Express versions of the hair follicle drug test are just the amount of time it takes for the lab to process the sample, and the type of prepaid shipping mailer you receive with your kit to get the sample to the lab. You can see the differences between the hair drug tests on this chart here.

Can the test hold up in court?

This is a somewhat tricky question. First, the only test that can hold up in court is the Legal Workplace Hair Drug Test Kit. This is because, unlike the others, it is NOT anonymous. It includes a Custody and Control form and all results are reviewed by a Medical Review Officer. This is why it is recommended for workplaces. The test has been used in custody cases, but it is highly recommended that one consults their lawyer before purchasing the test to find out if the test will hold up in court in one’s particular state or situation.

Why did Marijuana (THC) show up negative?

In some cases when donors use marijuana, the metabolite is not detected by a hair test because it didn't bind with the hair shift. This may be due to the type/quality of marijuana ingested or what is was mixed with (tobacco for example). This is only the case with marijuana and not with other illicit drugs. According to HairConfirm who manufacturers these tests, it takes smoking 5-6 full joints in most cases, for the drug to stick to the hair shaft in order to get a positive result. If someone consumed less, it may not show up on a drug test.

Do detox or masking products work?

The HairConfirm Lab tests the actual molecules embedded in the hair shaft, therefore no external or topical source or agent can alter the test results. None of these so-called detoxifying shampoos or products can alter a forensic hair test performed in a laboratory, so therefore these tests are basically cheat proof.

Does the Military test for Spice?

2012-04-30T17:27:00-05:00

The Military is taking a serious approach to Spice or synthetic cannaboid use in 2012. The Pentagon recently released figures to the Associated Press that showed in 2011, 497 airmen were punished for spice use, 700 Marines and sailors were investigated for spice use and 119 soldiers received medical treatment after smoking it.

The Air Force led the way with the first announcement of confirmed spice testing. Following is a summary and links to each military branch and their stance on Spice testing.

The Air Force first announced in February, 2012 that they will begin testing for Spice, AF using urine tests to detect ‘spice’ use

The Air Force announced in March, 2012 that it will begin testing for spice with its own equipment. In 2011, they outsourced the testing to a civilian lab, but started in March, 2012 they will do their own tests and they said “We have the capability to test 2,900 specimens per month.” According to an article in Air Force Times

Navy posted its Synthetic Drug Urinalysis Operating Guide online on April 4, 2012. In an article on the Navy official website, this quote sums up their position on Spice testing and their seriousness:

"In March 2012, the Navy announced that it has begun random testing of urine samples for synthetic chemical compounds like Spice. The Navy's capacity for testing for designer drugs will continue to expand. During fiscal year 2012 the Navy will invest $1.73 million to test for synthetic chemical compounds and expects to increase that amount to $2.9 million in fiscal year 2013."

Marines could face testing for spice as of March, 2012, they had not instituted testing of Marines, but said they are "working with researchers to develop urinalysis that can detect spice and similar illegal substances known as synthetic cannabinoids". The article did not state why the Marines could not use the technology already developed by the Air Force who started testing the earliest of all the military branches.

The Army is funding a study by the Armed Forces Medical Examiner to determine spice use in the military and has allocated $180,000 to find out how widespread the use is. The Study Underway to Assess Usage Rate of Synthetic Cannabinoids will "involve testing 10,000 randomly collected Army specimens – 5,000 each from the Tripler Army Medical Center, HI and Fort Meade, MD", but it does not clearly say if the specimens will still have the name associated with it or if it is anonymous. There is not current data stating that the Army is doing synthetic cannabinoid testing.

Earlier this year, the Coast Guard Academy expelled 14 cadets for spice use, see Coast Guard Academy weeds out cadets, however, the report did not say if they were found with random testing or some other method. Considering that the Coast Guard is responsible for enforcing the maritime drug laws, you should assume that they will follow suit with the Air Force or Navy, however, there is no reports that they are currently random testing for spice.

All the Armed Forces have started 2012 with a serious commitment to synthetic drug testing and making sure that they have the technology in-house to keep up with the ever changing compounds that make up spice and synthetic cannabinoids. We can only expect for them to continually increase the random testing and their disciplinary approach to spice.

Most Small Businesses don't drug test

2012-03-08T19:01:00-06:00

Running a business is difficult, whether your business is large or small. Having trustworthy and drug free employees should not be a worry for business owners, but unfortunately this is not the case. Most large companies have a drug test policy with 80% of Fortune 500 companies drug testing their employees. This fact can deter drug users from applying with those companies. The alternative to applying to big companies for fear of drug testing, is applying to small businesses.

Everyone knows that smaller companies are not as likely to drug test as larger companies are, so it usually is the answer for an avid user who is looking for employment, but cannot run the risk of being tested. Small businesses usually choose not to drug test their employees because it is too expensive or difficult, which is far from the truth.

Small businesses are at a huge disadvantage by not drug testing. For fear of expenses and difficulty coming with the testing, they do not have drug testing programs in place, but they are the target employer for a substance abuser. Having an employee that is an illicit drug user can not only have a negative effect on you, but your business as well. The amount of time invested in training a new employee is a major cost to a business and you don’t want to find out months later that your new employee has a drug problem.

If smaller businesses take the time to implement drug testing policy, they can ensure a safer and more productive work environment. Taking precautionary measures to secure your business and its workforce are crucial steps to ensure honesty and productivity from your workers, and it does not have to come at a great expense.

Having a drug testing policy is like using a dummy security camera to prevent theft in that it might just prevent drug users from applying to your company. Even adding a line to your job ads that says “must pass a drug test prior to hiring” can help you eliminate some potential applicants that know they cannot pass a drug test or posting a sign in the lobby or area that people apply for jobs that states that "This is Drug Free Workplace" or "We Conduct Drug Testing".

Workplace and employee safety are huge issues that must be considered by any business owner. However, these concerns do not mean that they require large sums of money to produce the wanted results. Implementing drug testing is an inexpensive and effective way to give you peace of mind when it comes to your business. If you want to learn more about starting a drug free workplace at your small business visit the SBA Drug Free Workplace for more resources and links.

Abundant Supply of Painkillers

2011-12-20T14:38:00-06:00

According to the Center for Disease and Control, enough prescription painkillers were prescribed in 2010 to medicate every American adult around-the-clock for a month. While prescription painkillers were initially formulated to help people cope with pain—in today’s day and age, more and more people are using them to get high.

Considering that the quantity of prescription painkillers sold to pharmacies, hospitals, and doctor’s offices was four times larger in 2010 than in 1999, it’s no surprise that more and more prescription painkiller overdoses are occurring. Looking at it from a world view, the United States consumes over 80 percent of the world’s opium which is the active ingredient in painkillers, however we only have 4.6 percent of the world’s population.

According to the Los Angeles Times, drug deaths now outnumber traffic fatalities in the United States. One of the problems concerning prescription painkillers is how easy they are to get ahold of. Doctors are far too eager to write prescriptions for painkillers to help patients cope with pain.

Many doctors fail to take into consideration whether patients who are prescribed painkillers will become addicted to them. When doctors fail to look at the full medical history of a patient and whether the patient has a susceptibility to addiction, they are putting the patient’s health at risk.

Another problem concerning prescription painkillers is the relaxed attitude people have about taking them. Since they are prescribed by a doctor, people are under the faulty assumption that they are safer to take, and less addictive, unlike many of the illicit drugs sold on the streets.

So, who is to blame? When it comes to who is responsible for the rising number of prescription painkiller overdoses—more than one culprit is involved. Many overly aggressive pharmaceutical companies make false claims about their products and use psychological tactics to convince doctors how their patients can greatly benefit from using these pharmaceutical drugs.

However, the doctor’s office isn’t the only place where prescription painkillers are easily obtained. According to the National Household Survey on Drug Use and Health (NHSDUH), an annual survey that includes information from interviews with thousands of people about their drug habit, most opioid painkillers are obtained from family or friends, over 69% do not get their painkillers from medical sources, but from family or friends.

Even though the majority of users get their painkillers from family and friends, the finger still points back to pharmaceutical companies and doctors who are allowing so many of these deadly drugs in the hands of people. For a non abuser who has had any surgery in the last year, most have a bottle of oxy sitting in the medicine cabinet which can easily be stolen by someone visiting your home or given to a friend who asks for them.

Prescription drugs are one of the top drugs of choice for high school students because they are easier to obtain than both marijuana and alcohol since they can be found at home. One of the new late night party trends taking place in cities throughout the United States are parties known as pharm parties. Pharm parties are parties where teenagers experiment with any number of prescription medications to obtain a high. Combine taking prescription painkillers with heavy alcohol consumption and you have a deadly cocktail of controlled substances—that can kill a person.

Many people fail to consider just how addictive and deadly prescription painkillers can be. According to the Center for Disease Control prescription overdose deaths have tripled in the last decade, with 40 people dying every day.

Prescription painkillers are easily attainable by just about anyone, regardless of age or socioeconomic status. Doctors and healthcare professionals need to stop prescribing prescription painkillers to every patient who complains about pain and limit the number of pills in each prescription. The healthcare industry needs to take an active role in educating each patient about the potential dangers of prescription drug abuse and actively limit the supply given to a patient. Until then, more and more prescription overdoses will occur and more people will die from this growing form of drug abuse.

Beyond the Red Ribbon

2011-12-02T17:07:00-06:00

There actually was a time where AIDS did not exist. I vaguely remember when it seemed to just freakishly appear out of nowhere. Back in the 80’s as a young child, I recall hearing about the first cases of this horrible disease that no one knew about or understood and was taking so many lives. Anyone that was diagnosed basically received their death sentence, period, end of story. The disease affected people of every race, creed, color, sexual orientation and financial status. It was, and still is, a global pandemic tormenting all types of people all over the world.

So much has been done over the years, with progress continuing to be made every day. The ongoing efforts made by researchers, healthcare professionals, non-profit organizations, community-based organizations, activists, and people all over the globe have decreased the number of new cases and helped thousands of people to receive life-saving treatment. Still, 30 years after the disease was discovered, we are still fighting to stop it.

Hopefully you are not like me. I know how terrible the disease is but I can honestly say that I have become disconnected from it over the years. Besides purchasing a RED shirt from the Gap a few years ago, I can’t say that I have done my part. Like most other people I can make the excuse that it’s tough in this economy to support every good cause and I do my best, but AIDS kind of fell by the wayside. And is it just me, or do we not hear as much these days about the AIDS cause as we used to?

Apparently it is not only me who has become complacent.

“It’s very striking that in the wealthy countries there is a perception that AIDS is over — there is far less investment in education programs. The availability of treatment has resulted in a complacency which is becoming really dangerous. Considering that today we’ve got as many new infections in Western Europe and North America as 10 years ago, there is no excuse for that.” said Peter Piot, executive director of UNAIDS.

The annual AIDS Epidemic Update released on November 28th 2011 predicted there will be 45,000 new cases this year in North America and 30,000 in Western Europe. Nearly 1.5 million people in the industrialized countries will be living with the AIDS virus by the end of the year. I guess we need to move AIDS back to the front burner. This fight ain’t over yet.

Today is World AIDS Day and this years’ theme is “Getting to Zero.” Zero New HIV Infections. Zero Discrimination and Zero AIDS Related Deaths. I watched “Beginning of the End of Aids”, the One Campaign to end AIDS by 2015 LIVE on YouTube:

Speeches were given by George Bush, Bill Clinton, President Obama, Bono, Alicia Keys and several others. The work of PEPFAR (the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) was mentioned as well as the dynamic plan announced by Hillary Clinton in early November stating that if three key interventions are taken, there may be a possibility of breaking the cycle of new HIV infections. The three interventions are prevention of mother-to-child transmission, voluntary medical male circumcision, and antiretroviral treatment as prevention.

Some other interesting points in the speeches today:

• Clinton stated that countries that were providing aid monies need to make sure that the money is spent in the country and on the people that it was intended for. He said that currently only about 50% of funds are used how they were intended.

• We need to continue to invest in AIDS treatment and prevention programs. We need countries that promised to provide the contributions to actually do so and other countries that haven’t been involved previously, need to get involved.

• Clinton also stated that the pharmaceutical companies producing the antiretroviral treatments in the US need to be negotiated with. They currently produce on almost a sliding scale – they charge the wealthier countries more for the drugs than they do for the developing nations. He recommended that politicians negotiate for the US to receive the drugs at the lower generic costs for the next 2 years until the economy improves.

• Churches need to take a more active role with HIV/AIDS education, testing and providing care for patients or children of patients.

• There is still a stigma associated with AIDS which has a profound effect on the epidemic’s course. The WHO (World Health Organization) cites fear of stigma and discrimination as the main reason why people are reluctant to be tested, to disclose their HIV status or to be treated.

• We still do not encourage HIV testing enough. An unwillingness to be tested for HIV means that more people are diagnosed late, when the virus has already progressed to AIDS, making treatment less effective and causing early death.

After hearing the speeches for the campaign today, it does really seem possible that we can put an end to AIDS within the next few years as long as we continue fighting. Hearing a story told by Bono brought a tear to my eye. He described a time that he was visiting an AIDS canteen in Africa and discovered that all of the activists working there were HIV positive themselves and were not being treated. When the drugs arrived to the canteen the activists began fighting over the drugs and who would get them [as you would expect]. [As you wouldn’t expect] they were not fighting for the drugs for themselves; they pledged that they were the least important persons. They wanted the drugs for the victims they were there fighting for.

So as this World Aids Day continues we need to go beyond wearing the red ribbon, keep fighting and Get to Zero.

Prescriptions Kill More than Pain

2011-11-28T18:45:00-06:00

A new form of drug abuse is on the rise. And it isn’t the kind that takes place in dark allies, or street corners, late at night. This new form of drug abuse is prescription painkiller drug abuse and it includes painkillers commonly known as opioids or narcotic pain relievers such as Vicodin (hydrocodone), OxyContin (oxycodone), Opana (oxymorphone) and methadone.

“Overdoses involving prescription painkillers are at epidemic levels and now kill more Americans than heroin and cocaine combined.” CDC Director Thomas Frieden, M.D., M.P.H.

To gain a better understanding of how this type of overdose occurs; let’s take a look at what causes prescription painkiller deaths. Prescription painkillers bind to receptors in the brain, decreasing a person’s perception of pain and creating a feeling of euphoria. Many people find themselves becoming physically dependent and addicted to these prescription painkillers.

Problems arise once the body becomes dependent on painkillers. The body no longer functions properly unless it has prescription drugs in its system. This is when people begin taking them for the high they provide, rather than using them to cope with pain.

Little by little, the user needs to increase the dosage in order to produce the same euphoric feeling they initially felt--and to help them cope with withdrawal symptoms. Larger doses of prescription painkillers slow down breathing to the point that breathing all together stops. When this happens an overdose occurs.

Some populations are considered to be at a higher risk of overdosing on painkillers. The Center for Disease Control reports that more men than women die from prescription painkiller overdoses, and is it more common among middle-aged adults between the ages of 35-54 years of age. However, age is not the only factor that determines whose at risk for overdosing on prescription painkillers.

Whites and American Indian or Alaska Natives are more likely to overdose on prescription painkillers. Government studies have shown that about one in ten American Indian or Alaska Natives age 12 or older have used prescription painkillers for nonmedical reasons during the past year. Compare this to the broader population where painkiller abuse averages one in twenty for whites and one in thirty for blacks.

Additionally, low-income populations as well as those who live in rural areas are also at risk of overdosing on prescription painkillers. According to the Center for Disease Control, a Washington State study found that 45 percent of people who died from prescription painkiller overdoses were Medicaid enrollees and that people on Medicaid are prescribed painkillers at twice the rate of non-Medicaid patients.

Each year, more and more people are being prescribed prescription painkillers and are at risk for becoming addicted to them. The Center for Disease Control reports that in 2010, more than 12 million people used prescription painkillers without a prescription, and for non-medical reasons, meaning they took them for the high they produced.

Painkiller overdoses account for 15,000 deaths a year. That’s 40 people who die daily from this type of overdose. Back in 1999, 4,000 people died of prescription drug oversdose, therefore, we have experienced almost a 4 times increase in a decade. Not only is this information alarming, but what’s even more disturbing is that very little is being done about preventing this type of addiction and potential overdose from occurring.

There is no sugar coating the truth, prescription painkillers are killing people. To stop this deadly form of drug abuse from taking more lives additional precautions need to be taken. Patients need to educate themselves about prescription painkiller drug abuse and ask their doctors additional questions about medications being prescribed. The ultimate responsibility lies with doctors and healthcare officials who need to stop prescribing these highly addictive drugs so easily and quickly -- and find alternate treatments to help patients cope with pain.

Prostate Cancer Screening, helpful or harmful?

2011-10-11T17:21:00-05:00

To test or not to test, this is the question that many men are asking currently. Last Thursday, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommended against the routine screening of prostate cancer screening for healthy men. The panel reviewed many studies and found that the results are failing to show that this type of screening actually saves lives. How you may ask? There are 2 types of prostate cancer, deadly and non-deadly. The screening actually shows both types but doesn’t distinguish between the two, which in fact causes many men to be treated when the disease actually doesn’t pose a threat to them. In doing so, they are faced with consequences from surgery or radiation such as impotence and incontinence.

“The common perception that PSA-based early detection of prostate cancer prolongs lives is not supported by the scientific evidence” task force co-vice chair Michael L. LeFevre, MD, MSPH, professor of family and community medicine at the University of Missouri

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a protein produced by both cancerous (malignant) and noncancerous (benign) prostate tissue which helps to liquefy semen. It is normal for a small amount of PSA to enter the bloodstream but high amounts usually signify the possibility of cancer, since cancer cells usually produce more PSA than benign cells. But PSA levels can also be higher in men that have enlarged or inflamed prostate glands so there is more that needs to be considered than just a PSA score. Other factors to be considered are your age, prostate gland size, changes in PSA levels, and use of medications that may affect PSA such as finasteride (Propecia, Proscar), dutasteride (Avodart) and even some herbal supplements.

So to test or not to test, that is still the question, right? If you are experiencing symptoms such as trouble urinating, decreased force in the stream of urine when urinating, blood in your urine, blood in your semen, swelling in your legs, discomfort in the pelvic area or bone pain you should see your doctor immediately. Also if you are at high risk and have a family history of cancer, or if you discuss the pros and cons with your doctor and want the screening for peace of mind, then go for it.

While this new study from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force may suggest decreased screening, here is what other groups suggest for PSA screening:

American Cancer Society suggests men at normal risk should discuss the benefits and risks of testing beginning at age 50, and men in risk groups should begin talking to their doctors at 45.

American College of Physicians and the American College of Preventive Medicine suggest discussions between men and their doctors starting at 50.

American Urological Society suggests a baseline screening test at 40, annual screening in all men beginning at 50, and annual screening after 40 for men in known risk groups.

The prostate cancer group ZERO-The Project to End Prostate Cancer had this response to the new report

“Today's decision of no confidence on the PSA test by the U.S. government condemns tens of thousands of men to die this year and every year going forward,” Skip Lockwood, the group’s CEO, said in a statement.

All the confusion and conflicting information leaves one to wonder where do we turn for trusted, reliable information regarding our health? To this question, we don't know.

Meth use in the Workplace

2011-09-07T19:55:00-05:00

The annual Drug Testing Index from Quest Diagnostics shows that the use of methamphetamines in the workplace is a large problem in Western states. The Drug Testing Index has been published since 1988 and shows the positive test results for each drug by state for a large sampling of workplace drug tests conducted by Quest Diagnostics. Results were recently released from over 4.5 million drug tests performed in 2010 and for the first time a detailed break down of methamphetamine positives state by state. In 2010 the national average of methamphetamines positivity was .10% which is the same rate as 2009. The five year trend nation wide has been in decline since 2006 when the methamphetamine positivity was .16%. Among the 42 states purchase clomid with sufficient data to compare to the national average for positive workplace drugs tests for methamphetamine in 2010, those notably above were: Hawaii - 410% greater than the national average Arkansas - 280% greater than the national average Oklahoma - 240% greater than the national average Nevada - 180% greater than the national average California - 140% greater than the national average Wyoming - 130% greater than the national average Utah - 120% greater than the national average Arizona - 100% greater than the national average Kansas - 80% greater than the national average The East and Northeastern regions of the US are much lower than the national average for methamphetamine prevalence in the workforce with New York falling well below the national average.

Marijuana's Secrets Unlocked By DNA Sequencing

2011-08-18T21:23:00-05:00

Marijuana has joined the ranks of the human genome* and the creatures of Jurassic Park in having its DNA sequenced. This means that the biological code of marijuana has been completely revealed, which may offer valuable insights for scientists interested in isolating its positive features. The DNA sequencing was performed by Medicinal Genomics (source: Bloomberg News). The company was founded by Kevin McKernan, a former member of the Human Genome Project, specifically to decode marijuana's DNA. The goal is to tap into the therapeutic properties of marijuana so as to create treatments for cancer and pain that will help patients without getting them high. Marijuana has been shown to be useful (for example, a compound in marijuana has been shown to reduce the size of tumors in rats) but its negative and psychoactive properties have led people to shy away from it as a legitimate medication. One of the goals of the project is to learn enough about marijuana to selectively breed the plant. These new strains of marijuana would ideally lack the psychoactive properties of marijuana as it exists today. According to Scientific American's Nature News blog, McKernan sees the sequencing as an important advancement into the still growing medical marijuana market. Deriving useful medicines from illegal drugs is not a new art - morphine, codeine, oxycodone, and hydrocodone are all derived from opium. Many cultures around the world use what we classify as illegal substances to treat illness. At the moment marijuana is somewhat unique in that a marijuana drug test will not come up as positive for a variety of medicines and other legal products (only the HIV medication Sustiva registers as a positive on our test). Medical marijuana has been legalized in a number of states because of its effectiveness as a medicine. Hopefully the sequencing of its genome can lead to further development of marijuana's therapeutic properties and the improvement of a great many lives. * Well, a sketch of it. You can read more about the Human Genome Project here.