Bimonthly News Update

• MUST READ: Positive Drug Tests among U.S. Workers Hit Two-Decade High

The percentage of working Americans testing positive for drugs hit a two-decade high last year, driven by an increase in positive marijuana tests, as businesses might have loosened screening policies amid nationwide labor shortages.

• New Jersey delays legal weed sales after finding medical shops ‘not quite ready’

“It is clear that we are not quite ready to open up the adult use market in New Jersey,” Commissioner Maria Del Cid-Kosso said.

• In U.S., alcohol use disorder linked to 232 million missed workdays annually

Analyzing the survey data, the researchers found that people with severe alcohol use disorder reported missing 32 days of work each year because of illness, injury or simply skipping work, more than double the number of workdays missed by individuals without alcohol use disorder.

• United States: Supreme Court Considering Granting Certiorari in Workers' Compensation Medical Marijuana Cases

The Supreme Court appears to be considering providing clarity to employers and employees alike regarding payment for medical marijuana in workers' compensation claims.

• Manufacturers Must Consider Employee Use of Prescription Medications on an Individualized Basis

Manufacturers that conduct workplace drug and alcohol testing must be careful when addressing drug test results and employee disclosures of prescription medication use, especially as drug use has surged across the country during the COVID-19 pandemic.

• To Test or Not to Test: Considerations for Employers Pondering the Future of Their Cannabis Testing Practices

The latest Gallup poll shows that 68% of Americans support cannabis legalization. Furthermore, the rate of positive cannabis test results has jumped in the last decade.

• What employee benefit managers need to know about harm reduction programs for addiction

Alcohol and drug use are at crisis levels in the U.S. A 2021 Quit Genius survey of 1,075 full- and part-time workers found increasing use of alcohol and drugs during the pandemic, especially among those working remotely.

• New Haven police expand drug and alcohol policy; marijuana use remains prohibited for city cops

The Board of Police Commissioners approved a new drug and alcohol policy for the department this week, barring officers from using marijuana, despite it being legalized for recreational use in Connecticut.

• 4 ways employers can combat prescription drug overuse and abuse 

The rise of prescription drug abuse is a rampant and well-documented problem affecting a wide range of age groups and many aspects of society. 

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