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Soteria Screening Blog - Read up on Trending Topics
Stay current and read up on trending blog topics right here on Soteria Screening.
Kratom: The Newest Opioid
If you've never heard of kratom, it is a supplement that has been marketed for the purposes of treating everything from chronic pain and mood swings to withdrawals from opioids. However, kratom has been at the center of a spate of recent controversies, one of which being that the supplement...
Managing the Risks of Opioids While Trying to Stay...
NPR recently did a story on how some people who have been prescribed opioids find their benefits to outweigh their risks. How can people who have more difficulty functioning without opioids than with them minimize their risks to addiction and side effects? All it takes is a bad fall that can...
Limiting Prescriptions to Reduce the Opioid Epidem...
Around now marks one year since Maine became one of the first states to put limits on their opioid prescriptions, namely the dosages that were given to patients. So, how successful were they? Pretty successful, as it turns out. Maine's law is considered the toughest law in the U.S. on these...
The Effect of Opiates on Children
When you think of the opioid epidemic in this country, the first thing you probably think of is a strung-out addict, looking for his or her next fix, possibly ending up as another statistic when he or she eventually overdoses. What you probably don't realize is how this epidemic has been affecting...
U.S. Life Expectancy Drops for the Second Year in a...
U.S. Life Expectancy Drops for the Second Year in a Row, Thanks to the Opioid Crisis Here's some disheartening news to close out your year: America's life expectancy, the average time a U.S. citizen is expected to live, fell for the second year in row this year, with the catalyst being the...
Just Because Marijuana is Legal in CA Doesn't Mean...
California is still in the process of trying to figure out the appropriate protocol for testing drivers' blood so as to determine what the legal limit should be in order to measure someone's impairment while driving after smoking or consuming a cannabis product. Alex Traverso, a spokesman for...
Despite Its Increasing Legality, Doctors Warn Against...
As of this writing, there are over 2,500 members belonging to the Facebook group "Pot-Smoking Moms Who Cuss Sometimes." The group was formed in California, where recreational marijuana usage is legal, and many members of the group believe marijuana is an all-natural and harmless home remedy...
Judge Says Overdose Deaths to Double on an Annual Basis...
District Court Judge Linda Davis of Macomb County, Michigan believes that until we are able to change our ways insofar as how we prescribe opiates in this country, then we're going to see the number of fatal overdoses involving heroin double annually. She also believes that our overall usage...
Holistic Therapy Programs May Reduce the Opioid Epidemic...
The Pain Rehabilitation Center at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota offers an annual three-week program wherein patients who suffer from chronic pain enroll for the purpose of getting off of their pain medications once and for all. Many of those who enroll in this program have tried everything...
Health Insurance Companies are Looking to Discourage...
Health insurance companies are often the ones stuck paying the bill for the prescription painkillers that too often lead to addiction. Therefore, it should not be surprising that they too are getting in on the fight to stop Americans from continuing to abuse opioids. Cigna is leading the charge...
Psychedelic Drugs Being Used to Treat Depression
One might never expect that magic mushrooms could be used as a treatment option, but clinical trials doing just that have been conducted in cancer patients at both Johns Hopkins University and New York University (NYU). Particularly, researchers are studying the effect of the active ingredient...
New Year, New Clients, New Discounts!
Happy New Year, and what a great year it will be! To kick start 2018 we are offering you, our valued clients, an opportunity for a 10% discount on your February 2018 invoice! This offer is only valid for clients already signed with Soteria Screening Laboratories as of 01/01/2018. While...
Enough Fentanyl was Seized in New York this Summer...
A pair of drug busts that took place in New York in August and September of this year netted a gain of enough drugs to kill 32 million people, authorities said after confiscating almost 195 pounds of fentanyl in a pair of bust that included a sting operation. Fentanyl is an opioid that is said...
Easthampton is Opening a Medical Marijuana Dispensary...
A new medical marijuana dispensary is opening in Easthampton, MA by the end of this year. The Hampden Care Facility intends on holding a job fair, from which it will select 50-60 workers to run its medical marijuana dispensary at the Keystone Mill. Many of those hired will be in charge of growing...
Doctors Often Receive Gifts from Opioid Manufacturers...
Recently, researchers at the Boston Medical Center discovered that about one in every 12 doctors in the United States is regularly gifted money, lunch, or something else valuable from opioid drug manufacturers. Researchers also found that opioid manufacturers are putting more effort into marketing...
Detoxing Without Medical Assistance is a Bad Idea
Simply put, centers that specialize in helping drug users kick the habit and recover are expensive. Further, the waiting lists can be unfathomably long, so it takes a while for someone to receive the help they're looking for. This is why many addicts decide to detox on their own. This, however...
The More Weed You Smoke, the More Stressed You'll ...
Those who smoke marijuana often report that they do so in order to relax or relieve their stress. However, few studies have actually proven these effects in the past. Researchers at Chicago's University of Illinois and the University of Chicago have recently discovered that low levels of THC...
Opioid Epidemic Could Get Much Worse Before It Gets...
In a recent analysis performed by STAT News, it is estimated that the 33,000 people who succumbed to fatal opioid overdoses in 2015 could climb to as many as 94,000 by 2027 – that's nearly three times the number of fatal overdoses in a period of only 12 years, and a sobering reminder of just...
Debates Loom on Drug-Testing New Jersey Schoolteachers...
In the Lacey Township School District located in New Jersey, drug testing has been the norm for years for students and bus drivers alike. But now, in an effort to strengthen its anti-drug agenda, the school's administration and board are considering making drug testing a requirement for all...
Colorado Seeing Less Fatal Opiate Overdoses Since the...
According to new research recently published in the American Journal of Public Health, the legalization of marijuana in Colorado has led to an unexpected "reversal" in the number of fatal overdoses the state is seeing that can be attributed to opiates. According to the authors of the study...
America's Opioid Addiction Creates Gaps in Its Workforce...
America's Opioid Addiction Creates Gaps in Its Workforce Economists estimate that there are 1.5 million people of working age who are currently missing from the work force. This means that they are unemployed and/or they are not looking for a job. It is not entirely clear the affect that...
A Veterinarian's Role in the War on Opioids
Some states are bringing veterinarians' offices into the fight against the current opioid epidemic. Why veterinarians? Well, because some people who are addicted to opioids actually use their pets to procure more drugs. Both Colorado and Maine have laws on the books that authorize or require...
Patients Opting for Marijuana Over Opioids in Some...
In a true case of "pick your poison," patients who live in states where medicinal marijuana is legal are choosing cannabis over opioids in order to treat their pain, anxiety, and depression. While this may sound good at first because of our nation's current opioid crisis, this may be a case...
The Children of the Opioid Epidemic
One of the most upsetting casualties of the opioid epidemic in this country are those children who are affected by their parents' usage of the drugs. It may not be the first thing we think of, but the skyrocketing rates of addiction in this country have also led to the skyrocketing rates of...
Opioid Prescriptions Starting to Plummet, but Still...
NPR recently reported that a new report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that doctors are prescribing less opioids, and when they are prescribing them, they are prescribing, on average, a lower dosage. This is promising news, especially in light of the...
What We Do and Don't Know About Marijuana
A new study published in May by The New England Journal of Medicine illustrated the results of the first test that used marijuana to treat one particular form of severe epilepsy in children. The study found that there is a component of cannabis – one that does not provide users with a high...
Painkillers Not Only Ruin Lives, But Also Military...
Over 100,000 troops left the military over the past decade with what is known as "bad paper," or a status of "dishonorable discharge." Having a dishonorable discharge on your record is bad news. You receive none of the benefits associated with being a veteran and, in some cases, you may not...
Putting the THCA in Marijuana: What Is It and How Is...
THCA, or tetrahydrocannabinolic acid, is the non-psychoactive acid form of THC that is found in the marijuana plant when the plant is still raw. In layman's terms, this means that the marijuana plant itself cannot get you high. In order to derive THC from the plant – the part that does get...
Drug Treatment Company Looks to Profit Off of the Country's...
It probably shouldn't come as a surprise that when you have an epidemic like the opioid epidemic we have right now in this country, there's going to be someone out there who sees a gigantic opportunity to profit off of the situation. That is essentially what mental health advocate Steve McCaffrey...
The More Weed You Smoke, the More Stressed You'll Be...
Those who smoke marijuana often report that they do so in order to relax or relieve their stress. However, few studies have actually proven these effects in the past. Researchers at Chicago's University of Illinois and the University of Chicago have recently discovered that low levels of THC...
Baton Rouge Expecting More Overdose Deaths This Year...
East Baton Rouge, Louisiana is expecting to break a record this year, and not a good one: the county is on track to see more overdose deaths related to opioids and drugs in general this year than any other year in history. The county's coroner, Beau Clark, says the state is taking small, but...
Georgia Experiences a Rash of Overdoses in 48 Hours...
It has not been a good week for Georgia… As many as four people died in 48 hours in Georgia earlier this week, as the state was overwhelmed with opioid overdoses, particularly in middle Georgia, according to health officials. Over a dozen overdoses were reported in three emergency departments...
Answers to Common Questions Regarding the Legality...
Right now, California is working on a bill in an attempt to combine the laws associated with medical marijuana and Proposition 64 into one single, stream-lined system. The bill covers over 100 pages of legislation, and it covers everything from rules for delivery companies to pesticide rules...
Drug Companies Sued as "Merchants of Death"
Ohio's Attorney General, Mike DeWine, filed a complaint consisting of over 100 pages in a civil lawsuit against five drug companies on Wednesday. In the complaint, the state claims that these companies have worked as "merchants of death" in fueling the opioid epidemic to its catastrophically...
Everything You Need to Know About a Urine Drug Tes...
Urine drug tests are used to look for any trace amounts of drugs that may be in a person's body. After the patient urinates into a sample cup, his or her urine is then tested for things like opioids, alcohol, cocaine, methamphetamines, and marijuana. While some companies opt for their job candidates...
Ketamine Being Used as a Treatment for Mental Illn...
The hallucinogenic ketamine, which also goes by the street name "Special K", is now being marketed as an expensive off-label treatment for hard-to-treat mental disorders, including Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and bipolar disorder. Private clinics across the country have begun offering...
Drug Use in the Workplace Still at an All-Time High…and...
Quest Diagnostics recently released some new numbers that show that workplace drug tests are continuing to find incredibly high numbers of those who are using drugs in the workplace. Levels as they are right now are higher than they have been in a decade. Last year, 4.2 percent of drug tests...
Treating Heroin Addiction with Marijuana: Trading One...
At a clinic named High Sobriety and located in Los Angeles, the approach to rehabilitation is a rather unexpected one: those who come in addicted to heroin are encouraged to toke up on marijuana as a form of treatment. This belief is actually nothing new when compared to the "miracle cures...
U.S. Crystal Meth Production is Down as Users turn...
Crystal meth production in the United States has been declining since 2014 due to drug users turning to Mexican cartels' cheaper and purer imports. There have been significantly fewer meth lab busts and seizures in states like Missouri, which have typically been the most prolific producers...
The Man Deemed as The Godfather of Marijuana Research...
Dr. Raphael Mechoulam, the man considered to be the world's most important marijuana researcher, has never even smoked a joint. He has, however, had an insatiable urge to research the drug for the majority of his professional career. He started looking into marijuana in Israel in the 1960s...
The Five Most Commonly Abused Drugs
Right now, the opioid crisis is the highest it has ever been in the history of the war on drugs. People are succumbing to fatal overdoses at alarming rates, and lawmakers and law enforcement are scrambling for ways to crack down on the problem before it gets even more out of hand than it already...
Urine Tests: Easy to Use, Easy to Abuse
The go-to test for drugs is the urine test. That's because it is incredibly easy to administer. Rather than getting someone who may be squeamish about needles to sit still for a blood tests, all they have to do is pee in a cup and hand it over. Unfortunately, it is also pretty easy for those...
Why Employers Should Regularly Test for Marijuana
Some people are pro-marijuana and others advocate against the legalization of it, but one thing everyone can agree on is that marijuana causes people to experience physiological changes while under the influence. Immediate effects include a rapid heartbeat and a lack of coordination, while...
Alcohol: The Socially Acceptable Drug that Kills Workplace...
Alcohol is perhaps the only drug that isn't just legal but widely encouraged. We use it at parties, after work during happy hours, and even at home after a long day as a way to unwind. It is glamourized in the movies, and it is widely socially accepted – which is why it finds itself listed...
Heroin Now Responsible for a Quarter of the Nation's...
Last week, the CDC reported that 25 percent of the total number of overdoses that befell this country back in 2015 were related to heroin. Further, researchers have discovered that the number of fatal overdoses in general has doubled since 1999. The total number of fatal overdoses was just...
But What about the Children?
As the heroin epidemic continues to grow, it becomes heartbreakingly clear just how much of an effect it can have on the next generation. Children all over the country are calling 9-1-1 to inform the dispatcher that they have either just witnessed the death of their parent, or that they think...
Babies Born Addicted to Opiates Show Poor Performance...
In what is an unsurprisingly but still unsettling news story, CNN wrote about a recent study by Australian researchers which found that children who are born addicted to drugs like heroin and other opiates are more likely to do poorly when they reach school age. Children who are born addicted...
Hair Follicle Testing
Hair follicle drug and alcohol testing is becoming more popular because of its longer look back period. Hair follicle testing can detect substance abuse going back for approximately 90 days. When a substance is used, it is absorbed and metabolized into the bloodstream. Because hair growth is...
The All-Consuming Price of Prescription Drugs
Anyone who has ever been prescribed a prescription drug, especially if they did not have insurance when they were prescribed that drug, can tell you that brand-name prescription drugs usually cost an arm and a leg. Why is this? And why are generic drugs so much less expensive? Consumer Affairs...
Micro-Dosing: The Latest Craze
Employees who need a midday pick-me-up are ditching their Red Bulls and Monster energy drinks in favor of taking small amounts of drugs to get them through the day. The practice is called "microdosing," and it involves taking a tiny, diluted amount of LSD with the belief that it will increase...
Why You Should Be Careful When Buying Prescription...
Being able to buy prescription drugs online can be a lifesaver if you are disabled, elderly, or otherwise can't get out of the house as often. It can also be helpful to those of us who are just too busy to factor in yet another stop on our ride home from work. However, consumers must be incredibly...
Obituaries are Being Stripped of Taboos in Light of...
As more and more people succumb to the opiate overdose epidemic that has skyrocketed in recent years in this country, the desire to keep the details mum on these kinds of deaths is rapidly diminishing. People are recognizing how important it is to fight back against the stigma that tends to...
Rise in Opiates Severely Hurting HIV Progress
This is one of those side effects that you don't quite realize until it becomes reality. The recent opiate epidemic is actually threatening three decades of progress that has been made insofar as reducing the number of HIV and AIDS cases in the United States. How is this possible? Well, because...
A Reminder on the Effects of Mixing Drugs and Alco...
With the holiday season upon us, it is common for people to overindulge a little during their Thanksgiving and Christmas feasts. They may go overboard on the wine in particular, in addition to the food, but it is important to remember that if you are taking prescription medication, you must...
Chronic Back Pain Linked to Illicit Drug Use
In a recent study, the results of which should surprise absolutely no one, chronic lower back pain sufferers are more likely to turn to illicit drugs like cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and methamphetamines for relief. Investigators admit that the relationship between the two is a premature connection...
Women are More Likely to Die from Taking Ecstasy
New research has come to light that shows that women are actually more likely to die from taking ecstasy than men are. This is because of the biological differences between men and women, namely female hormones. One of the most common – and most dangerous – side effects of taking ecstasy...
Just the Facts: Methamphetamines
Right now, there is an upsetting trend among high school students showing an increase in their usage of methamphetamines (meth) as the current drug of choice. It is therefore more important than ever that parents know what meth is, as well as how to recognize potential signs of the abuse of...
Using Marijuana to Diminish Dependence on Opiates
Opiates can be a dangerous business, and the over-prescription of same is often blamed for the epidemic we're currently seeing in the uptick of heroin and fentanyl overdoses in this country. Patients are prescribed opiates when they may have been able to receive a treatment that was less strong...
High Schools Open up Communication about Heroin with...
Perhaps one of the most important demographics to talk to about heroin and drugs in general is the teenage demographic. This is because teenagers are always under immense peer pressure and may feel a continuous struggle to belong. In light of the heroin epidemic that continues to grow in this...
The Importance of a Well-Written Drug Policy
In order to have a successful drug-free program in the workplace, a company must have a well-written and comprehensive drug policy in place. The policy cannot be something that is just thought up overnight and then put into place. Typically, an effective policy is discussed many times in order...
Comparing Drunk Driving to Drugged Driving
While alcohol is technically a drug, there is a distinction in the law between drunk driving and drugged driving, though both are typically classified as "driving under the influence." However, the effects of both are typically the same. Whether a driver is under the influence of alcohol or...
Coping with Substance Abuse Problems in the Workpl...
Right now, there are 20 million Americans who are struggling with issues related to substance abuse. Of course, it stands to reason that with that many people having a substance abuse problem, some of them could be working right alongside us in the workplace. As a matter of fact, 60 percent...
Everything You Need to Know About Employee Assistance...
Some employers may not realize that they can use their company's Employee Assistance Program to help an employee who may be struggling with issues related to drug abuse. EAP can guide managers on how best to deal with an employee's drug problem, including requiring or suggesting that the employee...
Four Signs Employers Can Use to Spot Substance Abuse...
Unfortunately, substance abuse in the workplace is becoming a more common issue with each passing day. Alcohol is one of the biggest offenders, causing 500 million sick days each year with employees calling out who are simply too sick to work. Employees who use illicit drugs are more likely...
Maintaining a Drug-Free Workplace When Marijuana is...
It may sound counterintuitive to try and maintain a drug-free workplace when marijuana is legal in your area, but it can be done. There are some things that you have to decide insofar as to how you want to handle them and the repercussions that can come from the ways in which you handle them. For...
4 Ways to Have a Successful Audit While Guaranteeing...
One of the best ways to determine whether or not a drug-screening program is successful is to conduct an annual audit. Audits will show which areas of the program are weakest, and which areas are strongest, so that the weakest areas can be corrected for the following year; else the program...
New OSHA Rule Makes Employers Think Twice about Post-Accident...
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) put a new rule into effect back in August of this year regarding drug-testing that is conducted after a workplace-related injury or accident occurs. Essentially, if employers have policies in place where they automatically require drug...
6 Ways to Broach the Subject of Drug Use with Your...
One of the most important things you can educate your children about is the effect of illicit drugs, but you may find it hard to begin. Where do you start, and what do you start with? Here are six ways to help you bridge the gap so that you can have that very important conversation without...
Finding Out About Your Ancestors through Your Own ...
Finding out about who your ancestors were and how they play a part in who you turned out to be is as simple as spitting your DNA into a tube and mailing it off to a lab to be tested. Voluntary DNA testing may not exactly be a watercooler topic just yet, but enough people have heard of it that...
Drug-Free Employers Should Review Policy Before Prohibiting...
Ohio is soon to be the latest state to be added to the list of states that permit medical marijuana to be legalized. However, as is to be expected, businesses have come together to lobby for an exception to these medical marijuana rules as they pertain to businesses that promote a drug-free...
The Sneaky Ways Illegal Drugs are Being Brought into...
You may wonder how someone can just shoot up or snort an illicit substance while at work. How do they not get caught? Doesn’t anyone see them do it? As it turns out, it’s surprisingly easy to smuggle drugs into work when you’re bringing them in in the forms of lip balm, gummy bears, and...
Major Move Allows Quest Diagnostics to Begin Using...
Quest Diagnostics is one of the biggest names in the business - perhaps even the biggest - when it comes to drug testing, and last month they got even bigger. Last month, an announcement was made that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services was going to allow Quest to start performing...
How the DNA Testing Process Works for Immigrant Vi...
Foreign individuals seek immigrant visas when they want to make the United States their permanent residence. In order to be eligible to apply for an immigrant visa, the applicant must be sponsored by a relative who is a U.S. citizen, a lawful permanent resident of the U.S. (i.e. a green card...
Illicit Drug Sales Online Boost Offline Markets
In October of 2013, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) shut down Silk Road, the first major illegal online drug marketplace on what is referred to as the “dark web.” The dark web is an entirely different internet that lives on “darknets,” which are overlay networks that still...
Heroin is Still the Most Deadly Drug Out There
Heroin and opioids are still among the most popular illicit drugs being taken on the street today, however heroin is still top of the charts when it comes to being the most fatal, particularly due to the recent boom in cocaine and fentanyl abuse. This is because heroin is being increasingly...
Brain Molecule May Make Some More Vulnerable to Cocaine...
A study conducted by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute in San Diego, California shows that the hypocretin molecule in the brain may actually make some people more likely to become addicted to cocaine than others, according to a report published by Science Daily. The hope now is that...
How Employers Should Handle an Employee Who is Intoxicated...
When someone is addicted to drugs, the addiction doesn’t wait. They need the fix no matter what time of day it is, or where they are when the craving strikes. This unfortunately also applies to the workplace, and with more than 70 percent of the country’s nearly 15 million Americans who...
Ketamine May Be Used to Treat Alcoholism
Researchers are currently working with party drug ketamine to determine whether or not it can actually be used in lower doses to treat alcoholism and its effects. The idea is that ketamine causes changes in the brain, so it may actually increase the chances that psychological treatment will...
Former NFL Players Beg the League to Lift Their Ban...
Perhaps no one is more acquainted with chronic pain than a former NFL player. Being tackled by several men who are just as large as you (or larger) on the regular can do a number on your bones and joints, not to mention organs like your brain. So it should come as no surprise that many retired...
Long-Term Cocaine and Meth Users May Be Unable to Distinguish...
US News posted an interesting article earlier this month in which they reported that those who take cocaine or methamphetamines regularly may be unable to properly distinguish right from wrong. This is because the parts of the brain responsible for understanding morals and emotions become particularly...
Patients Receiving Treatment from Intoxicated Medical...
The idea that your doctor might be under the influence of drugs when he or she is treating you is a scary thought, but one that may very well be true, as it is estimated that as many as 100,000 medical providers - including doctors, nurses, and medical technicians - are either dependent on...
Fentanyl Appears in Crack Cocaine in Canada
Last week, the Fraser Health Authority in Canada issued a warning that fentanyl was popping up in crack cocaine - a trend that was recognized after 43 crack cocaine users overdosed within a period of only 48 hours in Surrey. This is the first time that the fentanyl and crack cocaine combination...
ADHD Medications May Actually Lower Substance Abuse...
It has been a concern among parents that stimulants like Ritalin and Adderall, which are often prescribed to treat their children’s Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), might increase their children's risk of substance abuse later on, but it turns out that the opposite is actually...
As Prescriptions Become Scarce, Pain Sufferers Resort...
On June 1 of this year, British Columbia’s College of Physicians and Surgeons decided to try something new as an alternative to doctors prescribing their patients opioids for pain: now doctors are required to try non-drug treatments on their patients first and only resort to prescribing pain...
Club Drug “Molly” is Not as Safe as People May...
People have been under the impression that the recreational drug “Molly” (a.k.a. MDMA - a pure version of ecstasy) is mostly harmless, producing a high that allows users to enjoy feelings of euphoria, heightened senses, and uninhibited displays of emotion without the severity of an overdose...
Synthetic Marijuana Triggers an Overdose Epidemic in...
You know you have a marijuana problem in your neighborhood when the local businesses are posting signs asking that people stop smoking it in their areas so that the ever-present clouds of smoke will finally dissipate. That’s exactly what’s happening in Brooklyn, though the cause of the...
A Rare Breed: Job Candidates Who Can Pass a Drug T...
The struggle is real - the struggle in trying to find employees who are able to pass a pre-employment drug test, that is. That’s what companies across the country are collectively saying is a huge problem they are facing when attempting to recruit new talent. The problem is two-fold: drug-testing...
Street Drugs Oxycodone and Percocet Found to Contain...
You may have heard a lot about fentanyl in the news lately, what with the role that it played in the death of legendary musician Prince, and it is becoming more popular in part due to its potency, which is estimated to be between 50 and 100 times stronger than that of morphine. Now, Northern...
Types of Employee Drug Testing in the Workplace
Employee drug testing is essential for organizations to ensure a drug-free workplace environment. A workplace environment that is free from drugs promotes professionalism, integrity, productivity, discipline, and a positive work culture amongst others. Crimes related to drug abuse can also...
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