Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009
Despite accusations of drug use flying back and forth between Linda Hogan, her ex Hulk Hogan and their daughter Brooke Hogan, it seems the mom of two is clean, according to her rep, Gary Smith.
The statement reads: “Linda Hogan responded to Hulk and Brooke Hogan’s public drug test challenge by going to a medical doctor and actually submitting to a full drug testing. After hearing of the malicious allegations, Linda immediately made arrangements to take the test first thing Monday, June 1st for the test which was analyzed at a nationally known lab in Florida.”
And there’s even more, as the statement goes on to detail that all results are clean, with Linda testing negative for speed, marijuana, cocaine, vicodin, morphine, heroin and PCP.
Hulk and Brooke had claimed that Linda was living a bad lifestyle and was using drugs with her younger boyfriend, Charlie Hill, who is 19. But cleaning her name of any drug dirt isn’t enough for Linda, whose statement goes on to lay blame at her estranged family’s door.
“This has been a very vindictive and hurtful attempt to discredit Linda. She has opened her private medical records to disprove Brooke and Hulk’s horrendous, unsupported allegations. She asks the public respect her privacy on this matter so she may begin to repair her relationship with her daughter,” her rep adds.
Associated Press
Wednesday, May 27th, 2009
An eighth-grade teacher at Lewis Frasier Middle School resigned Monday morning after she was allegedly found with a residual quantity of suspected marijuana at school on May 12 and a urine test indicated a positive result for the drug a few days later.
Amber Griffin-Fields was asked by school administrators to leave the school immediately and report to the school board office on May 12 when the Multi Agency Crack Enforcement Drug Task Force conducted a school safety search at the school. According to MACE Unit Commander Al Cato, a dog alerted to the area of Griffin-Fields’ purse and desk where the agents reportedly found a minute quantity of what they suspected was marijuana.
“She was asked to leave the premises at the school because of the disruptive nature of her behavior (arguing with the officer) and the incident,” BoE Superintendant Dr. Judy Scherer said in an e-mail statement to the Courier last week. “She reported to the central office where she was immediately taken for a drug test and placed on administrative leave with pay pending the outcome of both the drug test and the criminal investigation.”
Cato said the teacher started insinuating the suspected marijuana belonged to someone else but later recanted her story.
On Monday, Scherer told the Courier Griffin-Fields’ drug test came back positive and the teacher resigned effective immediately.
According to Cato, the teacher faces misdemeanor possession of marijuana charges. Scherer said local educators would report the incident to the Georgia Professional Standards Commission, which could choose to suspend her teaching certificate or take other disciplinary action.
Courtesy Coastalcurrier
Thursday, May 21st, 2009
Cheyenne Mountain School District 12 board treasurer Phil Devries remembers his feelings after nearly 25 students were busted in a black tar heroin scandal last December. “I was shocked, concerned, disappointed, angry,” Now District 12 is contemplating a random drug testing policy. “We just feel it’s time to address it,” says Devries, “It’s on the table. We’re weighing the merits, the pluses and minuses. We’ve been working on it for a few months now.”
If passed, D-12 would be the 4th district in the state to adopt such a policy which focuses on students involved in extra curricular activities such as sports. “This could be that one little thing that keeps them from making that bad decision. That could be a great deterrent,” says Devries.As a parent of a middle school student athlete Steve Kusulas supports the idea of random drug testing. “I think actually it’s a great idea,” says Kusulas, “It would deter a lot of the players from taking drugs.”The policy draft is still broad and could even include testing for human growth hormone and other performance enhancing drugs. “We haven’t ruled that out,” says Devries, “I think it’s a matter of identifying all of those things that are a health hazard to the kids.” Kusulas thinks it would be a good idea to include testing for performance enhancing drugs. “I have a hard time watching major league baseball because of that. I think it’s a great idea to get them started early in term of not taking steroids.”
Monday, May 18th, 2009
Vinegar. Lemon juice. Drain-cleaning products. At least one of these items is probably in your kitchen. And any of them can be used to beat a drug test.
For about 20 years, people have been using a long list of very ordinary household items to confuse prospective employers and drug labs hoping to catch them in the act of using or abusing illegal drugs. Add to the list laundry detergent, baking soda, and ordinary salt.
“Does it work? Yes, it does,” says Amitava Dasgupta, PhD, a professor of pathology and drug testing expert from the University of Texas-Houston Medical Center. “It’s a cat and mouse game.”
Employer drug testing became popular in the late 1980s after President Ronald Reagan instituted drug testing as a requirement for federal jobs. Lots of private companies followed suit, and today thousands run drug tests on people applying for jobs.
Many schools also conduct drug tests on students trying to join sports teams, or, more controversially, sometimes conduct tests on a random basis.
Many household items change urine’s pH, or acidity, when they’re added to it; most of the time that renders a sample useless for testing. But these are not the cheating methods that worry testers like Dasgupta. That’s because labs can easily tell when urine has been adulterated with household items. Usually they just disqualify the applicant without even bothering to test for specific drugs.
Online Test-Cheating Industry
That’s what happens with most of the so-called “detoxifying” drinks that can be found online. Most of the drinks are simply loaded with caffeine and come with directions to drink lots and lots of water. That dilutes the urine, which can sully a drug test.
But testers are prepared for dilution, Dasgupta says. Any sample below a certain concentration is automatically rejected, regardless of whether it has evidence of illegal drugs in it.
“There is no magic formulation which can take drugs out of your body,” Dasgupta says.
Chris Faught, who heads chemical testing at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, says his lab routinely sees dilution as a strategy to fool drug tests in the emergency room. ”We get results that are simply suppressed so there’s obviously an interfering substance. The old classic way is to drink lots and lots of water,” he tells WebMD.
But the gigantic test-cheating industry, found mostly online, has given toxicologists like Dasgupta new problems to contend with. One popular formulation is called pyridinium chlorochromate (PCC). It destroys drug molecules in urine, potentially fooling drug tests.
But there’s a catch: the simple addition of some hydrogen peroxide will turn a PCC-containing urine sample dark brown.
“The bottom line is toxicologists are smarter than drug abusers,” Dasgupta told reporters at a meeting of the American Association for Clinical Chemistry in Washington. “If try to cheat on a drug test, we will catch you.”
WebMD
Wednesday, May 13th, 2009
Jeremy Mayfield was suspended indefinitely by NASCAR on Saturday for failing a random drug test, becoming the first driver to violate a toughened new policy that went into effect this season.
Mayfield tested positive for a banned substance last weekend at Richmond International Raceway.
“In my case, I believe that the combination of a prescribed medicine and an over the counter medicine reacted together and resulted in a positive drug test,” Mayfield said in a statement. “My doctor and I are working with both Dr. (David) Black and NASCAR to resolve this matter.”
Black is the CEO of Aegis Sciences Corp. in Nashville, Tenn., which runs NASCAR’s testing program.
NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter would not reveal what banned substance Mayfield used, but Hunter said it was not an alcohol-related offense.
“There is no place for substance abuse in our sport,” Hunter said.
NASCAR also suspended two crew members for failed tests at Richmond.
Tony Martin, a crew member for the car John Andretti drove last weekend at Richmond, and Ben Williams, a crew member for the Nationwide Series car Matt Kenseth drove last weekend, were both suspended indefinitely.
Mayfield, who is driving a car this season he owns himself, failed to qualify for Saturday night’s Sprint Cup race at Darlington Speedway.
Jimmie Johnson, who finished second to Mark Martin on Saturday night, said he didn’t know many circumstances about Mayfield’s test.
“No clue what it is. The policy is in place,” Johnson said. “If you use something that’s illegal as far as the substance abuse policy, you get in trouble. So it is what it is.”
NASCAR said Mayfield was randomly tested last Friday in Richmond. The lab discovered the positive “A” sample Tuesday and notified Mayfield. Two days later, the lab told NASCAR of the failed test.
Mayfield, who participated in both of Friday’s practice sessions at Darlington, asked Friday for his backup “B” sample to be tested. That, too, came back positive, and he was told by officials Saturday afternoon.
Black said he spoke with Mayfield, who can return to NASCAR only after he completes a “path for reinstatement” that’s tailored to each individual. The process, which can include rehab, varies depending on the substance.
The suspension, which cannot be appealed, applies to Mayfield’s roles as owner and driver of the No. 41 Toyota. Although the car can race next week at Lowe’s Motor Speedway with another driver, Hunter said it cannot be entered with Mayfield as the owner.
The 39-year-old driver said in his statement that an interim owner and a temporary replacement driver would be announced early next week.
Andretti, who finished 32nd in last week’s race at Richmond, said he’s not worried that the driver next to him might be driving impaired and applauded NASCAR’s tougher drug policy.
“I think it’s a great thing that they (NASCAR) do,” Andretti said from Indianapolis, where he’s preparing for the Indy 500 later this month. “And whoever they catch and confirm, so there’s no mistake, shame on them.”
Just days after the Daytona 500, one of Mayfield’s crew members became the first person punished under NASCAR’s new drug policy for a failed test. Mayfield fired Paul Chodora after he was suspended.
Mayfield, a two-time qualifier for the Chase for the championship, has five Cup victories in 433 career starts, but none since 2005 at Michigan. He was fired by Evernham Motorsports in late 2006 and bounced around until this season, when he formed Mayfield Motorsports.
He threw the team together in less than a month but made headlines as the underdog who raced his way into the season-opening Daytona 500. But he made just four of the next 10 races, and is currently 44th in the Cup standings.
NASCAR announced a new, tougher drug testing policy last September. The guidelines were strengthened in part because of former Truck Series driver Aaron Fike’s admission that he had used heroin — even on days he raced.
Under the new rules, all drivers and crew members were tested before the season began. Random tests are scheduled throughout the year, and at least four drivers are tested each weekend. Hunter said the drivers are selected through an automated computer program.
Associated Press
Thursday, May 7th, 2009
At a time when we’re watching every penny, it might seem odd to suggest Wood County pick up the tab to keep the local drug testing program operating.
But it makes financial sense.
The Drug Court has operated since October 2004. Originally, it operated on next to nothing. Then private donations helped it along until a grant for $147,000 was received in 2007. That grant money was extended but is coming to an end.
The court costs about $150,000 a year to operate. An audit by an outside agency tied to one of the grants determined the Drug Court saves the county about $250,000 a year in the cost of housing the participants in jail. That might not factor in the additional costs to other county agencies if offenders went through the traditional system.
Rather, people who commit offenses related to alcohol or drugs are eligible for the Drug Court. They meet weekly in court sessions, undergo frequent and random drug tests, participate in the treatment process, write reports and perform community service. Those who fail to complete the Drug Court requirements return to traditional court and jail or prison sentences.
There are other savings as well. Judge Edward Zappen Jr. said a baby born to a mother who excessively uses drugs or alcohol will cost $100,000 in medical bills. Three healthy babies have been born to mothers in the Drug Court program.
“I think we get a lot of bang for our buck,” Zappen said.
Zappen, who started Drug Court, is a believer in its results. During the campaign for his replacement, both Todd Wolf, who will serve as the next judge, and John Adam Kruse indicated they wanted the Drug Court to continue.
It would be wise for the Wood County Board of Supervisors to continue to fund the Drug Court. The price up front will result in savings down the road, not to mention clean and sober, contributing members of society. It’s a win-win for those involved and deserves to be fully funded.
Associated Press
Tuesday, April 28th, 2009
In the three and half years since the creation of a community group to combat methamphetamine use in Carson City, statistics showed the effort was working.
Forty-five percent of people seen at the Community Counseling Center used methamphetamine in 2006. In 2008, that number dropped to 25 percent.
But in the last year, law enforcement officials have noticed another drug has taken meth’s place among the younger crowd — heroin.
“In this community there was a big surge to stop one drug, which was meth,” said John Simms, chief juvenile probation officer for Carson City. “I was afraid that focus would produce a surge in another drug, and it did.”
Drug officers first starting noticing a trend of heroin in the city in 2007.
“It started as kids taking Oxycontin and hydrocodone. They are opiates as well, but an 80 mg tablet is $80,” said Tri-Net Drug Taskforce Officer Mitch Pier. “It just got to be too expensive and hard to find.”
Heroin is cheaper and easier to get, said Pier, and teenagers and young adults network among each other to feed their habits.
“They are all kids,” he said.
Reports on the rise
A balloon, or point, of heroin is about one-tenth of a gram and offers a high from four to six hours. Pier said a point sells in Carson City for $20 to $25. But users can go into Reno and spend as little as $7.
Carson City Sheriff’s Deputy Sam Hatley, a member of the department’s Special Enforcement Team, said there doesn’t appear to be any major heroin dealers in Carson City. The dope is sold by users to finance their own fix.
“They drive into Reno every day, get what they need, sell some, and earn enough money to make the trip again,” he said.
Mary Bryan, director of Community Counseling Center, said that five years ago, cases of heroin abuse at the counseling center were rare. In 2006, 3 percent of clients reported use. In 2007, 6 percent reported use and in 2008, 9 percent.
Carson City Sheriff’s Department records are more ominous.
Though the drug possession cases can’t be broken down into arrests specifically related to heroin, a search of police reports show an alarming increase. According to Chief Deputy Jack Freer, in 2003, heroin was mentioned in police reports 22 times. In 2008, it appeared 108 times.
Juvenile probation is finding the same thing in their numbers, said Simms.
Drug testing results from 2001 indicate that the rare cases of opiates found in the urine samples of juveniles under supervision could be attributed to medications prescribed by a doctor. In early 2007, however, the more frequent positive results were coming from the illegal use of prescription opiates like Oxycodone and Hydrocodone. In late 2007 and all of 2008, drug tests detected heroin in the samples 34 times.
Simms, who has been a probation officer in the city for 20 years, said he won’t classify one drug as more dangerous than another.
“Methamphetamine and heroin are both deadly, both destructive, both destroy families. To say one’s worse or more deadly is not the case. Heroin and methamphetamine are both toxic to your community,” he said.
But, Simms noted, “Heroin to me is more shocking. It’s always been considered one of the worst things you can do to your body. When you overdose on heroin it can kill you.”
Simms said what is worse about heroin is that it’s easier to hide.
“It’s easier to see someone under the influence of meth than it is heroin. People on meth are jittery, hyper, irritated,” he said. “But, you can go to school on heroin. On heroin you sit there calmly, quietly, zoning out. They are in their own little world.”
Bryan said the surest way to combat drug use in teens is for parents to be committed to keeping their kids off drugs.
“The protective factors for children are positive parental monitoring and support. That’s not easy, but it’s required. Kids need to stay in school and they need to know that this is a community of anti-drug use.
“The initial decision to take drugs is mostly voluntary, made by children who don’t have good decision-making skills. That first decision, while its voluntary, needs to be the one that’s moved back,” Bryan said. “Parents need to be supervising their kids until they get old enough to make a competent decision to not kill themselves.”
Associated Press
Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009
A question has been brought to my attention. Our staff is sometimes asked how it is possible for someone to have knowingly used a drug and still pass their drug test. More specifically, “I saw that guy take 1 puff off a Marijuana cigarette yesterday, how could he have passed the drug test today?” An easy way to explain this scenario is through cutoff levels. In other words, urine drug tests typically test for Marijuana levels that exceed 50 ng/ml. It is possible that the single puff of Marijuana did not register over that level, therefore not triggering the test to signal a Positive result. Drug tests are designed to show illicit use that typically occurs more than once. Another factor to keep in mind is that drugs affect different people in different ways. For instance, the Marijuana may not have been strong enough to register a Positive in this man because he uses on a regular basis and has built some tolerance to the drug, whereas a teen trying the drug for the first time might register well over the 50 ng/ml cutoff level. Another thing to consider is that the drug can sometimes take 24-48 hours before it metabolizes into the donors’ system and shows Positive on a drug test. The test could have actually been performed prior to the drug being broken down in the system.
Friday, April 17th, 2009
The Vernon Township School Board is considering the implementation of a random drug testing program for high school students next year. The program, which will be discussed at a public hearing Thursday, would be similar to others in place in about 25 other New Jersey school districts, school officials said. Last year, Sparta adopted a random drug testing policy but never implemented it. No other county school has such a program.
The program would include students with parking privileges, students participating in co-curricular programs and athletics and students recommended for testing by their parents.
Vernon Township School Sup-
erintendent Anthony Macerino said approximately 600-700 students participate in athletics and co-curricular activities per year and all of the 350-400 seniors are eligible for parking. The high school has about 1,650 students.
Macerino said if the board does approve implementing the testing next September, it then must determine how many and how often the tests would be administered.
Usually districts decide on a percentage of the whole student population, Macerino said, which would determine the number of test kits purchased.
The estimated cost of the program would be about $10,000 to $15,000 per year, assuming the program is administered by existing staff. Two high school nurses would be trained for about $500 and the remaining cost would be the cost of $15 per test kit. The estimated amount of tests and testing would be budgeted in the 2009-10 budget, Macerino said.
While students found with a confirmed positive test will face consequences, they will not be disciplined with suspension and/or expulsion, Macerino said. A draft of the policy says anyone testing positive will be removed from any athletics, co-curricular activities or school clubs, as well as have their parking permit revoked for a minimum period of 30 consecutive school days.
Within a week of a positive result, a participant must begin a minimum of six visits with the student assistance counselor and attend an early intervention program. Parents or guardians will be responsible for the cost of the treatment program.
Random drug testing is separate and apart from the state mandated referral process. All staff members are required by law to refer a student who they observe to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol to an administrator.
Macerino said nearly 50 people attended the first public hearing on the policy earlier this month. He said the crowd was divided on whether or not implementing the program in Vernon is a good idea.
At Thursday’s hearing, specific statistical information about the extent of substance abuse at the high school and the middle school for the past two years will be presented. Chris Steffner, principal of Hunterdon Regional High School, also will be in attendance to share information related to the success of existing programs in the state, including at her school.
The board is not expected to vote on whether to implement the program until around the first of the year.
If the decision is made to implement the program, the board will have to adopt the policy and guidelines. The process would include establishing an implementation date, likely to be July 1, 2009, school officials said.
Tuesday, April 14th, 2009
Wanted to pass along this article for thought:
Lawmakers in at least eight states want recipients of food stamps, unemployment benefits and welfare to submit to random drug testing.
West Virginia is one of the latest states to see such a proposal introduced into the legislature.
Ohio Rep. Jennifer Garrison, D-Marietta, said the Buckeye State currently is not considering such a move, and area residents seemed split on the notion when asked Sunday.
In December, more than 31.7 million Americans were receiving food stamp benefits, compared with 27.5 million the year before.
“If someone wants welfare or food stamps, why not make sure they need it or are going to use it right,” said Aaron Sarver, 25, of Marietta. “Why let someone have this help so they can sell or trade it for drugs?”
Sylvia Hall, 37, of Reno, said the government shouldn’t cut benefits to the people who need help the most.
“I don’t think drug testing should be considered at all,” she said. “If it is and you identify someone has a problem, I think there should be more help offered… Like counseling.”
Hall said helping with a drug problem might lead someone to become a contributing member of society.
“Just cutting someone like that loose would probably just increase crime,” she said.
Poverty and civil liberties advocates say they fear the strategy could backfire, discouraging some people from seeking financial aid and making already desperate situations worse.
Those in favor of the drug tests say they are motivated out of a concern for their constituents’ health and ability to put themselves on more solid financial footing once the economy rebounds. But proponents concede they also want to send a message: you don’t get something for nothing.
Garrison said she hasn’t taken a stance on the issue.
“This is really the first I’ve heard of it, quite frankly,” she said. “I have no opinion on it, but I will be interested to see what these other states are doing.”
On Wednesday, the Kansas House of Representatives approved a measure mandating drug testing for the 14,000 or so people getting cash assistance from the state, which now goes before the state senate.
In February, the Oklahoma Senate unanimously passed a measure that would require drug testing as a condition of receiving certain benefits, and similar bills have been introduced in Missouri and Hawaii.
A Florida senator has proposed a bill linking unemployment compensation to drug testing, and a member of Minnesota’s House of Representatives has a bill requiring drug tests of people who get public assistance under a state program there.
A January attempt in the Arizona Senate to establish such a law failed.
Craig Blair, a Republican in the West Virginia Legislature, recently drafted the most comprehensive bill on the issue, as it would apply to anyone applying for food stamps, unemployment compensation or the federal programs usually known as “welfare.”
“If so many jobs require random drug tests these days, why not these benefits?” Blair told the Associated Press.
The Associated Press contributed.