DOT has released important information for employers and safety-sensitive employees. Please see below excerpt from the notice.DOT OFFICE OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL POLICY AND COMPLIANCE NOTICE, DOT CBD NOTICE https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDOT/bulletins/27bd19f Accessed 02/18/2020 3:00 PM ESTThe Department of Transportation requires testing for marijuana and not CBD.The labeling of many CBD products may be misleading because the products could contain higher levels of THC than what the product label states. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not currently certify the levels of THC in CBD products, so there is no Federal oversight to ensure that the labels are accurate. The FDA has cautioned the public that: “Consumers should beware purchasing and using any [CBD] products.” The FDA has stated: “It is currently illegal to market CBD by adding it to a food or labeling it as a dietary supplement.”* Also, the FDA has issued several warning letters to companies because their products...

Starting January 6, 2020, employers will be required to query the Clearinghouse for current and prospective employees' drug and alcohol violations before permitting those employees to operate a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) on public roads and employers will be required to annually query the Clearinghouse for each driver they currently employ.The Clearinghouse rule requires all FMCSA-regulated employers, Medical Review Officers (MROs), Substance Abuse Professionals (SAPs), consortia/third party administrators (C/TPAs), and other service agents to report to the Clearinghouse information related to violations of the drug and alcohol regulations in 49 Code of Federal Regulations, parts 40 and 382 by current and prospective employees.If you have not registered yet, please follow the link below to remain compliant with the new Clearinghouse rule and create a user account to ensure you are ready on January 6, 2020. How to register for FMCSA Clearinghouse Download instructions to register as a: CDL Driver(includes CLP drivers)...

Please click here for the Red Ribbon Week Fact SheetWe celebrate Red Ribbon Week from October 23rd-October 31st each year to take a stand against drug use. You can visit redribbon.org and take the pledge to get access to a variety of Red Ribbon week materials including coloring pages for children.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of approximately 400 compounds found in cannabis, the same plant that produces the psychoactive compound, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). While CBD is a cannabinoid and shares some structural similarities with THC, it does not produce a “high.” Research surrounding CBD is still in its early phases, but preliminary studies indicate that CBD may benefit medical and therapeutic issues such as seizures, neurological diseases, pain, cancer, inflammation, and mood disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Laboratory-based oral fluid drug testing has been around for many decades, and over the past several years, it emerged as a legitimate alternative to urine testing, the most common drug testing method. Its benefits include accuracy, an observed collection, and reliable detection of recent drug use, especially marijuana. One question that many employers ask is: is it legal?

Could the trucking industry, long-plagued with high driver turnover and a need for new driver entrants, be missing out on a swath of potential drivers due to its strict no-marijuana-use policies?

The Clearinghouse is a secure online database that will give employers, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), State Driver Licensing Agencies (SDLAs), and State law enforcement personnel real-time information about commercial driver’s license (CDL) and commercial learner’s permit (CLP) holders’ drug and alcohol program violations.

The Red Ribbon Rally will be on Monday, October 7 at 11:00 a.m. EST.The Rally can be streamed here: https://www.getsmartaboutdrugs.gov/content/watch-dea-national-red-ribbon-rally.This event features Dean Norris from "Breaking Bad" who is the master of ceremonies. There will be notes from the DEA administrator Uttam Dhillon and a senior government official. There will also be artistic performances, award presentation and more.

The Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse is now available for registration. Please go tohttps://clearinghouse.fmcsa.dot.gov/register to register now. This ensures that you will be ready for the Clearinghouse operational date on January 6, 2020. 

What is the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse (Clearinghouse)?The Clearinghouse will be an electronic database containing records of violations of drug and alcohol prohibitions. Such violations will include positive drug or alcohol test results, refusals, and other drug and alcohol violations for drivers required to have a commercial driver’s license (CDL). When a driver completes the return-to-duty process, this information will also be recorded in the Clearinghouse.What are Employers required to query from the Clearinghouse?Employers will be required to query the system for all current employees annually and prospective employees at hire. Records can be accessed via online by the employer or TPA to search for violations that would prohibit the driver or prospective driver from performing safety-sensitive functions, such as driving a CMV.When does the Clearinghouse regulation begin?On January 6, 2020, employers will be required to query CMV records.When can Employers and TPA’s register with the Clearinghouse?Clearinghouse registration is scheduled for...

Help using the new softwarePlease use the following links as guides to the new software Click here - DATCS Client Portal Quick Start LinkClick here - DATCS Client Portal Quick Start PDFClick here - Webinar

Starting Monday, April 29th, we will be successfully transitioned to our new software regarding FormFox ordering of tests. Please refer to the following link regarding training of users of this portal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vok2xiKVq70 Thank you everyone for your continued patience and support!

1.      Urine drug testing is the most commonly used drug test specimen type because of its proven methodology and broad range of drug panels. It is the only specimen type used for regulated drug testing programs.2.      Urine drug tests detect drug use in the previous 24 to 72 hours. Drug detection in urine testing can vary depending on the drug, the amount ingested, and the donor’s metabolism. 3.      Urine testing can be used for nearly every drug testing reason which includes pre-employment, random, periodic, return-to-duty, reasonable suspicion, and post-accident.4.      Adulterating, substituting, and diluting a specimen are common ways that donors try to cheat a urine drug test.  Specimen validity testing can help ensure the integrity of a urine test by measuring pH, creatinine, and specific gravity (when indicated) and identifying if these results are consistent with human urine. Common adulterants include items such as bleach, iodine, ammonia, nitrites, and chromates.5.      Overall positivity...

In just over nine months, the Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse is scheduled to go into effect. Signed into law in 2016, the Clearinghouse will serve as a central database where drivers’ drug and alcohol violations are stored.

Marijuana positivity for the American workforce is up for the fifth consecutive year, a trend showing no signs of slowing. Drug positivity in states without marijuana use statutes has kept pace with the national average of 2.1% for the combined U.S. workforce. However, data from Quest Diagnostics shows that the states with the highest positivity rates do not necessarily contain the cities or metropolitan areas with the highest marijuana positivity.

Epidiolex Cannabidiol (CBD) was approved by the FDA in 2018 to treat seizures in people (primarily children) with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome. While CBD remains on the DEA Schedule I list, it has been decriminalized in 47 states. As a result, thousands of CBD products such as oils, tinctures, pills, and liquids used in vaping devices are now widely available in retail stores and online. However, there are currently no uniform standards or widely accepted testing certifications for CBD.

Deaths from cocaine, after holding steady for many years, increased an alarming 52% between 2015 and 2016, according to the CDC, with the trend continuing in the most recent federal data. The stimulant is now killing approximately 13,000 people a year, on track to rival painkiller pills and heroin.

Many employees do not realize the ramifications of refusing a DOT drug and/or alcohol test. The Office of Drug and Alcohol Policy and Compliance (ODAPC) website offers a poster that helps employees understand what could happen to them should they decide to not complete a DOT test.

It finally happened! With your support and patronage, our DATCS Longview location got too big for its premises and we had to move to a bigger office! So from now on, if you’re looking for the best drug testing and compliance services available, you will need to go to 4000 North Hwy 259, Longview, TX 75605. The entrance to our new facility is directly past Enterprise Rent-A-Center. Contact our customer service team with any questions: 903-234-1136.DATCS is also pleased to announce that our Bossier, Louisiana office will be extending their business hours to better accommodate our customers’ needs. Beginning January 1, 2019 our Bossier office will be open from 7 am to 5:30 pm Monday through Friday. We hope that you will take advantage of our longer hours and we look forward to assisting you! If you have any questions, one of our dedicated Bossier teammates will be glad to help...

Now, more than ever, clearly defined policies and procedures are critical for employers. The policy decision must consider DOT fitness for duty as well as the possible accommodations that an employer can make in these times when prescription  drug abuse impacts millions of Americans from all socioeconomic, political, age, gender, and ethnicity groups.