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The 26-year-old video producer from Reno, Nev., was shocked when a drug test he took as part of a job application came back positive for marijuana. The problem? He hadn’t used marijuana, he says. Instead, J.C., who prefers not to use his name, had taken CBD, or cannabidiol, from hemp to help with sleep and anxiety. And unlike THC, a related compound in cannabis plants, CBD can’t get you high.[CR-LF][CR-LF]So how can you fail a drug test after taking CBD? The urine test most commonly used doesn’t even look for CBD but instead a compound created by the body when it metabolizes THC, says Barry Sample, senior director of science and technology at Quest Diagnostics, the largest administrator of drug tests in the U.S. “There isn’t going to be a laboratory analytical false positive confusing CBD with a THC metabolite.”

Statistics Canada’s most recent National Cannabis Survey estimates 514,000 Canadians are using cannabis before or during work.[CR-LF][CR-LF]While age and gender don’t play a factor in terms of increasing the likelihood of consumption on the job, frequency of cannabis use does. Of cannabis consumers who use cannabis daily or almost daily, 27% of survey respondents say they also consume just before starting work or during working hours. By comparison, a mere 7% of respondents who enjoy cannabis on a more casual basis admit to doing so on the job.[CR-LF]American diagnostics firm Quest Diagnostics reports that the number of positive drug tests in the workplace hit a 14 year high in 2018, including rising numbers in every state where recreational cannabis is legal. The problem with these figures, however, is that they may just show increases because more tests are being conducted. It doesn’t necessarily mean an increase in consumption.

Quest Diagnostics Inc. announced a quarterly dividend on Tuesday, May 14th, RTT News reports. Stockholders of record on Monday, July 8th will be paid a dividend of 0.53 per share by the medical research company on Monday, July 22nd. This represents a $2.12 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.19%.

Some employers choose to build their drug-free workplace programs by leveraging multiple specimen types such as oral fluid, urine, and hair. This diversity allows for accurate, reliable, flexible options that can help to meet a variety of program goals and objectives. Hair drug testing in particular, with its longer window of detection, can detect repetitive drug use for up to 90 days. The ability for a hair drug test to produce a long-term drug use history leads many employers to question whether a hair drug test can consistently and effectively detect one-time drug use.[CR-LF][CR-LF]The simple answer is probably not. Jarod Rowland, Laboratory Supervisor at Quest Diagnostics, specializes in hair testing technology. Rowland explained the strengths and limits of hair tests.

Many employers in New York City will no longer be able to test job applicants for marijuana or THC—the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis—under a rule that was just adopted in the Big Apple. The new mandate will take effect in 2020.[CR-LF][CR-LF]"Prospective employers don't test for alcohol, so marijuana should be no different. But in no way does this bill justify individuals going to work under the influence," said Jumaane Williams, New York City's public advocate and the legislation's sponsor. [CR-LF][CR-LF]We've rounded up the latest news on this topic. Here are SHRM Online resources and news articles from other trusted media outlets.

A friend gave me a great tip tonight! I don't know how I was unaware of this for the past two years![CR-LF][CR-LF]Create a user account with LabCorp and Quest Diagnostics, the two big medical companies. Then go into the Apple Health app, tap the Health Data tab, and then the Health Records. Under the Accounts section, Add Account and connect to LabCorp and Quest. In a minute or so, it will suck down all your medical records, from routine health checks (cholesterol and blood pressure) to whatever you've got special to your health situation.

resident and chief executive officer of Quest Diagnostics, Rusckowski is a keen conceptual thinker and his experience and knowledge of the issues facing the industry make him the ideal leader to capitalize on the opportunities that lie ahead in a dynamic health care environment. Before Quest, Rusckowski was CEO of Philips Healthcare, the largest unit of Royal Philips Electronics. During his time with Philips, revenues increased from approximately 6 billion euros in 2005 to approximately 9 billion euros in 2011, accounting for approximately 39 percent of Philips consolidated revenues, from 21 percent when he became CEO. Before joining Philips, Rusckowski held numerous management positions with the health care division of Hewlett-Packard/Agilent Technologies. He joined Philips when it acquired Agilent’s Healthcare Solutions Group in 2001.

Why do companies use pre-employment drug testing? There are three circumstances in which workers encounter drug tests during the hiring process.[CR-LF][CR-LF]The first is when workers have applied for jobs subject to federally mandated safety testing. Some of those positions are government jobs, such as Customs and Border Patrol agents, while others are in private sector industries such as transportation and nuclear power production.[CR-LF][CR-LF]Urine is the most common sample type, and it's currently the only type permitted by federal testing rules, says Barry Sample, senior director of science and technology at Quest Diagnostics, a clinical laboratory that performs drug testing for employers.

For most of the nearly 30 years I’ve been covering trucking, the industry has been trying to get a federal clearinghouse put in place that will help prevent drivers who test positive for illegal drugs at one company from simply going down the road and getting a job at a different fleet.[CR-LF][CR-LF]It looks like the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will finally have one in place in 2020. It’s none too soon, as several factors point to the likelihood that there are more drivers out there under the influence of drugs than the official statistics indicate – and that it’s getting worse.[CR-LF]Last year, Quest Diagnostics, one of the primary labs used to conduct employment drug and alcohol tests, reported that the transportation and warehousing industry saw a 21% increase in positivity rates between 2015 and 2017. And that was before four semi-synthetic opioids (including hydrocodone) were added to the federally mandated drug-testing panel for safety-sensitive workers in January 2018.

For most of the nearly 30 years I’ve been covering trucking, the industry has been trying to get a federal clearinghouse put in place that will help prevent drivers who test positive for illegal drugs at one company from simply going down the road and getting a job at a different fleet.

It looks like the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will finally have one in place in 2020. It’s none too soon, as several factors point to the likelihood that there are more drivers out there under the influence of drugs than the official statistics indicate – and that it’s getting worse.