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Feds Scrap Proposed Hair, Sweat, Saliva Tests For Government Workers
San Francisco Adopts 'Deprioritization' Ordinance
Students For Sensible Drug Policy To Hold 2006 National Conference This WeekendWashington, DC: Feds Scrap Proposed Hair, Sweat, Saliva Tests For Government Workers Proposed federal regulations to allow for government employers to collect samples of employees' hair, sweat, and saliva to test for illicit drug use have been withdrawn, according to speakers at the Drug and Alcohol Testing Industry Association's (DATIA) recent regulatory summit in Washington, DC. The proposed changes, introduced in April 2004, sought to amend drug testing guidelines for federal employees by allowing for the use of alternative biological matrices (hair, oral fluid, and sweat) to detect past drug use. Currently, federal regulations only allow government employers to use urinalysis as an indicator of past drug use. Urinalysis detects the presence of inactive drug metabolites (compounds produced from chemical changes of a psychoactive substance in the body), not the drug itself, and a positive test result -- even when confirmed -- does not indicate recent use or impairment. Though backed by DATIA and various members of Congress, critics of the amendments questioned the reliability of alternative drug testing technologies, particularly hair and saliva testing. As acknowledged by the Substances Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) -- which sets and oversees the federal drug testing guidelines -- both hair and saliva testing may be negatively impacted by environmental contamination. Hair follicle testing may also yield varying results depending on the person's race and/or hair color. Because of these potential problems, the agency initially recommended confirming alternative specimen testing with urinalysis, before recently deciding to withdraw the guidelines changes altogether. The proposed regulations also suggested allowing federal employers to utilize automated, on-site point of collection testing (POCT) immunoassay devices in lieu of laboratory testing. DATIA criticized SAMHSA's decision to withdraw the proposal, arguing that the federal drug testing guidelines have remained unchanged since 1988, and that alternative specimen testing is becoming "widespread" in the private workforce. "DATIA will continue to work on alternative matrices testing as a top agenda item for our activities in Washington, DC," the group stated on its website. About 400,000 federal employees, primarily Department of Transportation workers, are subject to workplace drug testing. San Francisco, CA: San Francisco Adopts 'Deprioritization' Ordinance The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted 8-3 this week to enact an ordinance 'deprioritizing' the local enforcement of marijuana prohibition laws. The Supervisors are expected to confirm the vote next week, making San Francisco the sixth California municipality to approve such a measure. Under the ordinance, sponsored by Supervisors Tom Ammiano, Chris Daly, Jake McGoldrick, and Ross Mirkarimi, all law enforcement activities relating to the investigation, citation, and/or arrest of adults engaged in the private use of marijuana will be the "lowest priority" for San Francisco police. The measure also establishes a citizens' advisory board to monitor whether police are complying with the law. San Francisco's ordinance closely resembles a 2003 Seattle 'deprioritization' law that has reduced citywide marijuana arrests to approximately 60 per year. Voters in three California cities Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, and Santa Monica also approved pot 'deprioritization' initiatives in last week's mid-term elections. Oakland voters endorsed a similar ordinance in 2004, as did the West Hollywood city council this past summer. Washington, DC: Students For Sensible Drug Policy To Hold 2006 National Conference This Weekend Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) will be holding its 2006 national conference this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at the Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, DC. NORML Executive Director Allen St. Pierre and NORML Senior Policy Analyst Paul Armentano will be speaking at the conference, along with MSNBC analyst Bill Press, Clarence Page of the Chicago Tribune, SAFER (Safer Alternative For Enjoyable Recreation) Executive Director Steve Fox, MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies) President and NORML board member Rick Doblin, Drug Policy Alliance Director Ethan Nadelmann, and many others. The three-day conference will include a Congressional lobby day on Friday. About 350 students are expected to attend the conference. |
