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Colorado and Washington Approve Marijuana for Recreational Use

Colorado and Washington, who are current medical marijuana states, have made history this Election Day by passing the first laws that allow for the legal use of “recreational” marijuana.  The recreational marijuana laws allow residents 21 and older to possess up to one ounce from licensed vendors, which the states plan to tax.   Amendment 64   Colorado : the state's constitution makes it legal for anyone over the age of 21 to possess marijuana and for businesses to sell it. Initiative 502   Washington : establishes a system of state-licensed marijuana growers, processors and retail stores, where adults over 21 can buy up to one ounce. It also would establish a standard blood test limit for driving under the influence. The laws legalizing recreational marijuana will certainly face federal scrutiny. Marijuana possession is still a federal crime and employers are seeking advice on how to approach this topic. Danielle Urban, an Atlanta lawyer,

Synthetic Marijuana “K-2” and “Spice” a Growing National Health Threat

Synthetic marijuana often sold in gas stations and convenience stores under names like “K-2,” “Genie,” or  “Spice” is a growing health threat to the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that 1 in 9 high school seniors have tried the drugs. Calls to poison centers about the drugs rose from 2,900 in 2010 to 7,000 in 2011 and hit 1,200 in the first two months of 2012. Synthetic cannabinoids are chemically engineered substances similar to tetrahydrocannabinol (“THC”), the active ingredient in marijuana. When smoked or ingested, synthetic cannabinoids can produce a high similar to marijuana. Initially developed for pain management research and the effects of cannabis on the brain, these substances have recently become a popular alternative to marijuana. The following 41 states have banned synthetic cannabinoids: Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Ge

Synthetic Marijuana and Methamphetamine Sting at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport Mail Facility

Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agents at O’Hare Airport in Chicago , Illinois, have recently uncovered international drug smuggling activities at Chicago ’s O’Hare Airport Mail Facility.  CBP agents have discovered synthetic marijuana and methamphetamine in several packages and letters that have come into the facility from China and Europe . Steven Artino, Acting Director of CBP Field Operations in Chicago  said, “These unpredictable chemical combinations are sending some users to the hospital and others to the grave.” Synthetic marijuana is a mixture of common herbs sprayed with synthetic chemicals that mirror the high of marijuana. The American Association of Poison Control Centers reported that within the past year there have been over 500 cases of negative reactions to the still legal yet dangerous drug. In 2011, The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) recently evoked its emergency scheduling authority to control five chemicals used to make so-

Crystal Meth Use Rises in Hawaii

Mobile Medical Corporation - A Pittsburgh based drug testing firm is reporting that Diagnostic Lab Services out of Hawaii recently released a study that concludes that 0.8 percent of the employees and potential employees tested positive for crystal meth or “ice” during the third quarter of this year. Albeit small, the increase has been observed for three consecutive quarters already — 0.5 percent during the first quarter and 0.6 percent during the second quarter. Mobile Medical Corporation (MMC) understands that in today's business and economic environment, risk management professionals and employers alike are looking to continuously improve job-site safety and workplace compliance. And that is why companies nationwide continually utilize MMC's vast array of cost efficient and diverse testing programs to maintain a better and safe work environment. Mobile Medical Corporation has offices in Pittsburgh, PA - Cleveland, OH - Baltimore, MD - New York, City - Sacramento, CA. 88

Pittsburgh Drug Testing Company Reports on Washington State and Legalized Marijuana

Washington State Initiative 502 could be the legislative doorway to legal marijuana in Washington State if approved on Nov  6.  If passed, the law would allow adults over 21 to purchase taxed, government inspected inspected marijuana at state-licensed shops. If the initiative passes: Public use or display of marijuana would be barred. No marijuana facilities could be located near schools, day cares, parks or libraries. Employers would still be able to fire workers who test positive for pot. To read more about Washington State Initiative 502 -   click here . To read more on marijuana and medical marijuana  - click here for the Drug Free Blog news cluster . Mobile Medical Corporation (MMC) , a Pittsburgh Drug Testing firm, understands that in today's business and economic environment, risk management professionals and employers alike are looking to continuously improve job-site safety and workplace compliance. And that is why companies nationwide continually utilize M

Mobile Medical Corporation (MMC) is proud to be part of this year's National Drug Free Work Week - October 15-20, 2012

Mobile Medical Corporation (MMC) is proud to be part of this year's National Drug Free Work Week  - October 15-20, 2012 .   Celebrating one drug free week a year is the first step but MMC believes that every work week should be drug and alcohol free! MMC encourages workers with drug and alcohol abuse related life issues to seek help now! According to the National Drug Free Workplace Alliance - The prevalence of substance use among workers is lower than the prevalence among the unemployed, but a sizeable  number of employed individuals use drugs and alcohol.  • 8.4 percent of those employed full-time were current illicit drug users, and 8.8 percent reported heavy  alcohol use. Visit the 2012 National Drug Free Work Week Website and download tons of educational and visuals that can be used in your workplace this year! Contact MMC to see how we can hep you celebrate National Drug Free Work Week! Toll Free: 888-662-8358

Red Pick Up Truck Turns Out to be a Rolling Methamphetamine Lab

Rolling Meth Lab Memphis police pulled over a red pick-up truck over the weekend for a license plate violation.  What they found was more than a violation.  Police discovered meth-lab related chemicals and paraphernalia.  Memphis Hazmat crews had to come in and remove the volatile materials.  The driver was arrested on meth related charges. Methamphetamine is a central nervous system stimulant drug that is similar in structure to amphetamine.  Although methamphetamine can be prescribed by a doctor, its medical uses are limited, and the doses that are prescribed are much lower than those typically abused. Most of the methamphetamine abused in this country comes from foreign or domestic superlabs, although it can also be made in small, illegal laboratories, where its production endangers the people in the labs, neighbors, and the environment. When it comes to compliant and multi-leveled substance abuse testing programs, Pittsburgh based Mobile Medical Corporation (MMC) offers

Curb Workplace Violence with Random Alcohol and Drug Testing

Recent Acts of Workplace Violence: Minneapolis sign-making business  . Empire State Building shootings in New York City . A supermarket in Old Bridge, New Jersey . Protect your firm and your staff by initiating random drug testing and alcohol screenings within your  workplace substance abuse testing program .  Having a well understood substance abuse testing policy in the workplace is a solid deterrent that will greatly enhance workplace safety. Obviously, employees who know about their employer's testing policy most likely won't violate it and risk losing their income - Especially with the unemployment rate and the economy the way it is right now. Prospective employees should also be made aware of all drug testing policies during the interview process in order to "weed" out potential abusers before they enter the workplace. A "Drug Free Workplace" policy will ensure workplace production and worker safety as well as deter negligent hiring and violen

Need a Reason for Employment Drug & Alcohol Testing? Just Look at Amtrak's Epic Fail!

AMTRAK'S EPIC DRUG & ALCOHOL TESTING FAIL Over 30 million passengers rode Amtrak trains in 2011 According to a recent report by Amtrak's Office of Inspector General - employees at Amtrak continue to miserably fail their drug and alcohol tests at a 51% higher rate than others in the rail industry .  The report stated that cocaine and marijuana are the substance of choice for those that fail their substance abuse testing. SAFETY SENSITIVE POSITIONS Employees who are designated safety sensitive have a higher testing standard based on federal drug and alcohol testing regulations. The Amtrak repor t reveals that Amtrak officials routinely and dangerously ignore compliance and often turn a blind eye to violations. Amtrak officials estimate that they've spent $1.5 million to screen employees in 2012. Want to Learn More about quality substance abuse testing? When it comes to quality drug and alcohol testing solutions, employers and risk mitigation profes

Indiana Driver with Blood Alcohol Concentration of .52% Causes Massive Collision

According to police in Ft. Wayne, Indiana a driver with a  Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of .52% was the cause of a 4 car collision which injured several people. Sgt. Mark Brooks of the Fort Wayne Police Department said, "That's one of the higher numbers I have seen over my time at the police department."  Of course brooks was talking about the percentage of alcohol in the driver's system. Click here for multi-media coverage of the accident. | The Office of National Drug Control Policy claims that drugs and alcohol cost taxpayers more than $300 billion annually in preventable health care costs, extra law enforcement, auto crashes, crime and lost job productivity. Mobile Medical Corporation's Random Drug and Alcohol Testing programs can help to stem the costs of "working" under the influence. Pittsburgh, PA based Mobile Medical Corporation (MMC) is an industry leader in providing customized workplace drug and alcohol testing, on-site medical ser

Federal Court Rules In Favor of Walmart in Medical Marijuana Case

A federal court ruled that Walmart could terminate employment of those who test positive for medical marijuana.  Recently Walmart exercised an option to fire an employee who injured himself on the job and was ordered for mandatory drug testing.  The employee, Joseph Casias, was terminated for testing positive for marijuana.  Casias's oncologist suggested that he use medical marijuana to ease the pain from his ongoing medical disease. Mobile Medical Corporation , a Pittsburgh drug testing firm closely monitors all headlines and laws relating to medical marijuana and employment testing.  Click here for Mobile Medical Corporation's  substance abuse testing medical marijuana archives .  Currently 17 states and the District of Columbia allow medicinal marijuana: Alaska Arizona California Colorado Connecticut DC Delaware Hawaii Maine Michigan Montana Nevada New Jersey New Mexico Oregon Rhode Island Vermont Washington Pittsburgh drug testing firm Mobi

Construction Executives Choose Romney over Obama in ENR Presidential Poll

Obama or Romney?   ENR:  "Which candidate is better for the construction industry? With the the 2012 Presidential Election only a few months away Engineering News-Record  Magazine unveiled an election poll asking "Which candidate would be better for the construction industry?" ENR questioned 378 construction executives and here are the results: 71.2% said Romney was the better choice 14.8% said Obama was the better choice 14.0% declined to answer. Reasoning surrounding the choices include: Claims that Obama is anti-business Others questioned Romney's leadership ability An unnamed ENR presidential survey participant explained, "The public sector will see more work under Obama, and the private sector will see more work under Romney." To read more about the ENR poll - click here ! Mobile Medical Corporation (MMC) , a Pittsburgh based drug testing and on-site industrial medical services provider to the construction industry says stay tun

Prescription Painkillers Overwhelming Oklahoma

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the State of Oklahoma needs an intervention fast!  The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics Director Darrell Weaver said, "The state ranks the highest in the nation for nonmedical use of painkillers, and is among the top states for drug overdose death rates and amount of prescription painkillers sold per 10,000 people."  The number of drug -related deaths in Oklahoma climbed from 344 in 2001 to a decade later.  Officials say 80 percent of those deaths are from prescription drugs. A prescription painkiller that is at the forefront of the prescription drug war is OxyContin.   OxyContin is a narcotic drug that was approved by FDA for the treatment of moderate to severe pain. OxyContin contains Oxycodone HCl, an opioid agonist with an addiction potential similar to that of morphine. The pharmacological effects of OxyContin, a brand name formulation of the Schedule II narcotic Oxycodone, make it attractive to abusers as it offers reliable

Mobile Medical Corporation (MMC) Providing On-Site Medical Services for the University Medical Center Project in New Orleans

Pittsburgh, PA - Mobile Medical Corporation (MMC) is currently providing on-site indistrial medical services for Willis at the new University Medical Center project in New Orleans, Louisina.  Other major players on the construction project include SKANSKA, MAPP Construction, LLC, Jacobs and NICI.  MMC will be responsible for providing first responder medical treatment, biological monitoring and other administrative functions throughout the enire construction project.  MMC's Operations Manager, Gregg Latsko stated that, "He is excited and energized to provide Mobile Medical Corporation's brand of top-shelf industrial medical services to such an important project on both a local and regional scale." About Mobile Medical Corporation: Mobile Medical Corporation (MMC) is a certified Woman Business Enterprise founded and incorporated in 1990, by Cynthia J. Latsko. MMC provides solution based substance abuse testing and on-site first-aid and medical services for the

Not So "Happy Mart" Busted For Selling Fake Urine to Pass Drug Test

WRAL in North Carolina recently reported that the Happy Mart Tobacco Shop in Clinton, North Carolina was recently raided in an ongoing two month fraud investigation.   The store owners were charged with defrauding drug and alcohol screen tests , dispensing medication without a license, sale of glass tubes by a retailer and manufacturing or delivering drug paraphernalia.  Authorities discovered over a dozen glass tubes commonly used for smoking crack cocaine and antibiotics and other prescription drugs from Latin America in the store.   Police also seized a dozen containers of Magnum Detox Novelty Synthetic Urine.    Magnum Detox is used to cheat urine drug tests.  Drug testing companies and authorities are catching on to this new rash of cheating. If a user is caught it is usually during the collection period as the temperature of the fake urine is usually not body temperature. Companies are catching on and can now analyze to see when the fake urine has been used in drug tests. A n

Captain of Costa Concordia Returns Negative Drug Test

With the tragedy of the Costa Concordia shipwreck last week several questions have arisen on the state of Captain Francesco Schettino and whether or not he was under the influence of drugs and alcohol.   Pier Luigi Foschi, the President of Costa Cruises was questioned by local press if he thought that Captain Schettino was under the influence of drugs or alcohol .  Foschi replied that he thought the captain's behavior was emotionally unbalanced.   Captain Francesco Schettino submitted to a substance abuse test after the incident in which later his lawyers revealed that a clean toxicology report was returned.

DATIA and SHRM Poll Show Pre-Employment Drug Testing On the Rise

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the Drug and Alcohol Testing Industry Association (DATIA) released a poll this fall that showed the practice of requiring job applicants to take a pre-employment drug test appears to be gaining acceptance from employers. The September 7, 2011 poll revealed that  fifty-seven percent of the survey participants’ organizations require all job candidates to take a pre-employment drug test, while less than a third (29 percent) do not have a pre-employment drug-testing requirement. The remaining 14 percent of respondents test applicants for safety-sensitive positions and when required by state law. The poll, which was commissioned by DATIA and conducted by SHRM, surveyed 1,058 randomly selected HR professionals and featured questions about employers’ drug-testing policies and practices. Mobile Medical Corporation's Drug and Alcohol Testing Programs can help to stem the costs of "working" under the influence. Pittsburgh