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

The U.S.D.A recently approved the drug Vivitrol for the treatment of opioid  and heroin addiction. Vivitrol is an extended release formulation of naltrexone, an opioid receptor antagonist. Clinical trials have shown Vivitrol to be effective in preventing not only relapse to drug use following detoxification, but also to diminish cravings that often drive it. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)  reported that heroin addiction afflicts an estimated 810,000 people in this country. NIDA's website states that in 2008, 1.85 million people in the U.S. met the diagnostic criteria for abuse or dependence on opioid pain relievers, such as Oxycontin and Vicodin.

The recent heroin overdose of an Australian Commando in Afghanistan last week has prompted the Aussie High Command to start drug testing the entire Special Operations Task Force in that theater. The Australian military regularly random drug tests its soldiers but with the prominence of heroin and the elevated risk of addiction, testing has been elevated. Facts point out that Afghanistan produces 93% of the world's opium, the key ingredient of heroin. Dr Alex Wodak, director of the Alcohol and Drug Service at St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney says, "Drug use was a major problem for Soviet troops in Afghanistan and the US military is also now facing an increase in addiction." Dr Ben Wadham, an expert on army culture from Flinders University in South Australia concluded,"Drinking has always been an issue in the military and remains so, but even more so drugs become a way of young men dealing with the stressors of the military but also bonding together."