Drug News You Can Use
Calif. Chamber of Commerce fights pot proposition
The California Chamber of Commerce disagrees that Prop. 19’s effects would be minimal. Last week, the employer lobbying group began airing radio ads in Southern California detailing its opposition.
“It creates a whole new protected class of employees and ties employers’ hands in maintaining a drug and alcohol-free workplace,” said Erika Frank, general counsel for the California Chamber of Commerce in Sacramento.
“It’s uncharted territory,” she said. “There are a lot of ambiguities the initiative creates that unfortunately won’t be resolved until employers are sued.”
“The concern is being able to manage marijuana use and employees showing up to work high on marijuana,” Frank added.
Employers today can act upon their workplace policies and take disciplinary action on the spot if they suspect a worker is high on drugs or alcohol, she said. But Prop. 19 would change that by requiring that a worker have “actual impairment” before employers can take action, and that definition is unclear, she said. “An accident may have to happen before any action can be taken.”
Prop. 19 also would prevent employers from using a positive result on a marijuana drug test against a job candidate in the hiring process, Frank said.
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/story/print?guid=17CF9842-E1E9-11DF-B7D4-002128049AD6
Psychemedics Corporation
State Police Caution Motorists About Dangers of Driving Under Influence of Legal Drugs
PennDOT and the Pennsylvania State Police are reminding motorists that driving while under the influence of prescription and over-the-counter medication can be just as dangerous as driving under the influence of alcohol and illegal drugs.
PennDOT will work with state and municipal police departments throughout Halloween week to step up impaired-driving enforcement, with increased emphasis on driving under the influence of drugs — DUI-D.
D.A.R.E. program addresses changing drug scene
The newest trend in teen drug abuse is coming out of a bottle instead of from the street, and the national D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program has supplemented its curriculum to address this growing epidemic.
Paragould Police Department D.A.R.E. officer Cpl. Brad Snyder said the typical D.A.R.E. program lasts 10 weeks, but the newest addition is a two-week course addressing prescription drug abuse.
http://www.paragoulddailypress.com/articles/2010/10/24/local_news/doc4cc3a470431eb144923024.txt
Working to stop prescription drug abuse
Officials are working together to stop prescription drug abuse in local schools and communities.
“Ninety percent of our problem with drugs is from prescription drugs,” School Superintendent Dr. Bobby Hathcock said.
Teens lie about drug use, even when tested, study finds
Teens were 52 times more likely to test positive for cocaine use than report using it, while parents were 6.5 times more likely to do the same, the researchers said. Both groups misrepresented their illicit drug use despite knowing they would undergo a drug test.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39830827/ns/health-addictions/
