Nationwide Drug Testing and On-Site Medical Services By Mobile Medical Corporation

Chicago is looking to cut unnecessary spending and free up police and law enforcement by decriminalizing small amounts of marijuana. The thought is that police will be able to focus on and concentrate their resources on higher crimes. Under the new law set to be introduced next week, people caught with less than 10 grams of marijuana would instead face a $200 fine and up to 10 hours of community service. A pro-marijuana group reported that enforcing marijuana prohibition costs US taxpayers $10 billion and results in the arrests of 853,000 people a year. Cook County Commissioner John Fritchey told reporters that, "It is not time to act tough on crime; it is (time) to be smart on crime. We need our resources spent somewhere else." How should employers feel about this new proposed law when it comes to pre-employment criminal background screening and drug testing ?

The NCAA recently published the results of their annual drug testing analysis and the the number of college athletes testing positive for marijuana at postseason events was up nearly three times compared to their last survey. The number of positive marijuana tests across all three divisions increased from 28 in 2008-09 to 71 in 2009-10. College athletes are subject to NCAA-mandated drug testing for marijuana at NCAA championship events and football bowl games only. The current NCAA-testing policy requires that athletes testing positive sit out one full season and lose a year of eligibility. Travis Tygart, CEO of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency said, With medical marijuana use on the rise and increased calls in some states for legalization of the drug, more positive tests for athletes are not surprising." Tygart continued "It's a fear we've had that as marijuana and even some performance-enhancing drugs become more socially acceptable that athletes will think it might ...

US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton believes that the United States would have a hard time legalizing drugs as a means of fighting the black market because " there is just too much money in it ." In an interview with Mexican television regarding drug legalization Clinton responded, "You can legalize small amounts for possession, but those who are making so much money selling, they have to be stopped. They can’t be given an even easier road to take, because they will then find it in their interest to addict even more young people." Advocates of legalization have roared back and responded by saying, "Clinton's response illustrates not only the intellectual bankruptcy of the prohibitionist position but the economic ignorance of a woman who would be president." At the Drug War Chronicle, Scott Morgan called Clinton's argument "perfectly incoherent" and argued it flew in the face of economic theory. Earlier in the year MMC posted a blog ...

The federal government recently issued the results of their annual drug abuse survey in which they concluded that U.S. teens are gravitating more towards smoking marijuana than cigarettes and fewer are binge-drinking. Government Survey Data The survey of 46,482 students from 396 schools found that 16 percent of eighth-graders, typically 13 and 14 years old, admitted to using marijuana, up from 14.5 percent in 2009. More than 21 percent of high school seniors, aged 17 and 18, said they had used marijuana in the past 30 days, while 19.2 percent said they smoked cigarettes. This is the first time marijuana use has passed cigarette use in the survey. About 23 percent of high school seniors admitted to binge drinking in the past two weeks, compared to 25 percent in 2009 and 31.5 percent in 1998. The survey found more than 6 percent of high school seniors use marijuana every day, up from 5 percent last year. More than 3 percent of 10th graders and 1 percent of eighth graders sa...

Yesterday, California citizens voted down Proposition 19. Yahoo News reported that if passed Prop 19 would have allowed adults 21 and over to possess up to an ounce of pot, consume it in nonpublic places as long as no children were present, and grow it in small private plots. It also would have authorized local governments to permit commercial pot cultivation, as well as the sale and use of marijuana at licensed establishments. White House Drug Policy Director Gil Kerlikowske said, "Today, Californians recognized that legalizing marijuana will not make our citizens healthier, solve California's budget crisis, or reduce drug related violence in Mexico. Even if Proposition 19 passed, federal authorities would have fought against it claiming federal jurisdiction.

Oakland, California will soon issue up to 4 permits for the Establishment of marijuana ranches that will legally be able to cultivate marijuana for medical purposes. Oakland hopes to standardize the marijuana farms and bring them into the mainstream. The city's goal is to be able to tax medical marijuana two-fold. Oakland already taxes the sale of medical marijuana and once the pot farms begin growing their product the city will levy a cultivation tax also. Oakland government official Jean Quan stated, "This is going to grow as an industry. And someone is going to have a high-tech producer." The Federal Court System has ruled that the Federal guidelines supersede the States when dealing with compassionate laws on marijuana use. The Supreme Court has ruled that employers and the government can prosecute in those states that have compassionate laws on marijuana use. Employers need not accommodate the state rule. When it comes to quality employment drug testing solutions em...

SAMHSA recently posted the results of a marijuana survey that reported that the number of people aged 50 and older reporting marijuana use in the prior year went up from 1.9 percent to 2.9 percent from 2002 to 2008. Marijuana which is used for medicinal purposes in 14 states is still illegal for recreational use. Marijuana (THC) is also still part of the testing panel when it comes to pre-employment and on-the-job drug testing . Medical professionals such as Dr. William Dale at the University of Chicago Medical Center see the dangers that marijuana smoking can have as he believes that "Older users could be at risk for falls if they become dizzy, smoking it increases the risk of heart disease and it can cause cognitive impairment." On the other hand 67 year old Perry Parks, 67, of Rockingham , N.C. , a retired Army pilot who suffers from degenerative disc disease and arthritis uses marijuana to alleviate pain. Mr. Parks said. "He had tried all sorts of drugs, from V...

The Boston Herald recently reported that Oklahoma Drug Enforcement Officers were tipped off by Oklahoma educators about the possibility of a synthetic type of marijuana that is circulating among students. The new form of the drug may be able to avoid detection in substance abuse testing . This new type of marijuana is called "K2" and is comprised of a mixture of herbs and chemicals. The drug comes in the form of incense and can be smoked. Currently "K2" is sold legally. Educators began noticing odd behavior from students about a month ago, said Tina Barker, Director of the Oklahoma Outreach Sober School Program.

California Assembly Bill 390 aims to legalize and tax marijuana. The bill goes a step further then the usual medicinal marijuana verbiage and focuses on the legalization of the drug for recreational use. The bill is sponsored by San Francisco Assemblyman Tom Ammiano. The bill would legally allow adults over 21 to grow, possess and smoke marijuana freely. According NBC news in San Francisco, This is the first time in U.S. history any state legislative body has ever considered repealing marijuana prohibition, which has been in place since 1913. A vote on the bill will take place today.

According to a story in the Toledo Blade , two police officers on the Toledo, Ohio police force were recently suspended for alleged drug use - specifically marijuana. in light of the suspensions the Toledo Police Department randomly screened 48 patrol officers for drugs with urine tests. Police Chief Michale Navarre stated, "The public expects and should demand that police officers that are given this authority - a badge, a gun, authority to make arrests - are of the highest caliber and should be the most physically and mentally fit, they are not individuals who use illegal drugs." When it comes to quality drug testing solutions , employers, contractors, union officers, hiring managers and risk mitigation professionals should solely rely on a professional drug testing firm like Mobile Medical Corporation (MMC). Mobile Medical Corporation (MMC) can help you with all of your substance abuse testing needs. MMC works closely with all clients to establish focused policies and te...

With Medical Marijuana being legal in 13 States and a half dozen more considering the issue, employers are scrambling for advice on how to approach workers who smoke pot for medicinal purposes. Danielle Urban an Atlanta lawyer interprets federal law that employers are not prohibited from taking adverse actions against someone who tests positive for marijuana but throw into the mix medical marijuana and the legal argument becomes unclear as Colorado permits medical marijuana and another state says it's illegal for an employer to fire someone for engaging in legal, off-duty behavior. Employers also have to take into consideration the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). According to Law.com - Under the ADA, an employee fired for using pot for health reasons could file a discrimination lawsuit. Seeking help from the U.S. Department of Justice most likely wont yield any clarity either as the department decided in September of 2009 not to prosecute medical marijuana users. The Suprem...

The Denver Post has reported that a recent letter to the Denver County judiciary urged the court to lower the fine for possession of marijuana of less than one ounce to $1.00. The current penalty for possession of marijuana of less than one ounce is $50.00, plus a $100.00 state surcharge accompanied by a $10.00 bureau fee. Fines would still include the $100.00 state surcharge accompanied by a $10.00 bureau fee. Mason Tvert, a member of the panel and the executive director of Safer Alternative for Enjoyable Recreation, which has pushed decriminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana , said "lowering the fine would send a message to police "that it is not worth their time or the court's to issue any more citations."

While on patrol with the Fresno County Sheriff's department last week, the Director of the White House's Office of National Drug Control Policy, Gil Kerlikowske exclaimed, "The federal government will not support legalizing marijuana." The patrol was part of Operation SOS -- Save Our Sierra -- which is an effort to eradicate marijuana in Fresno County, California. The Fresno Bee reported that a recent 10 day round up operation in the foot hills of Fresno County resulted in the capture of more than one million dollars worth of marijuana crops and the arrest of 82 people. Kerlikowske believes that Marijuana is dangerous , addictive and has no medicinal benefits and should not be used as a tax crutch for increasingly cash strapped government agencies in California. Operation SOS was hatched in February and since then more than 314,000 plants were uprooted in 70 gardens. Agents have also seized $41,000 in cash, 26 firearms and three vehicles.

The Associated Press is reporting that California is contemplating legislation to tax and regulate marijuana like it does alcohol. San Francisco Democratic Assemblyman Tom Ammiano introduced the bill in February. The bill would allow adults to legally possess, grow and sell marijuana. Officials that are for the tax and legalization of marijuana, believe that it would generate nearly $1.4 billion in revenue. The California State Board of Equalization reported that marijuana retail sales would bring an estimated $990 million from a $50-per-ounce fee and $392 million in sales taxes. Ammiano has promoted the bill as a way to help bridge the state's $26.3 billion budget shortfall. As the bill is written, the state could not begin collecting taxes under the bill until the federal government legalizes marijuana. A spokesman says Ammiano plans to amend the bill to remove that stipulation.