Page 39 - ATR 2 2013

from 2005 to 2012, and we have had periods of extensive drug use, urine sam- dow of detection time. Once a drug is
zero post-accident urine positive results ples are usually clear of any evidence of consumed, the residual metabolites are
for the past five years,” Woodruff said. drugs within 48-72 hours. Urine remains embedded in the hair and, apart from
“The results are undeniable, hair test- an applicable tool in the detection of destroying the hair itself, are nearly
ing has helped us keep lifestyle drug short-term drug use. However, when the impossible to remove. A typical 1.5-inch
users out from behind the wheel of our objective is to identify a record of drug hair sample collected from the scalp
trucks.” use, particularly for pre-employment or produces a 90-day window of detection.
If J.B. Hunt’s drug screening pro- random drug screening, 48-72 hours In a side-by-side comparison of
gram were based solely on the DOT uri- simply doesn’t cut it. almost 10,000 hair and urine assay
nalysis requirements, 3,172 drug users Alternatively, a hair specimen results, a 2007 study conducted by Dr.
would have gone undetected. The unfor- offers a much longer retrospective win- 
tunate reality is that these drivers may
have gained employment with another
carrier not utilizing hair testing. Hair Follicle Drug Testing
Prompted by mounting media
accounts indicating DOT drug test
collection protocols were not being
Storm Ahead
adhered to, in 2007 the Government
Accountability Office (GAO) led an
undercover investigation into the vul- Storm Ahead
nerability and shortcomings of DOT’s
drug testing regulations as they relate
to commercial truck drivers. The
investigation found many kinks in the Motor carrier studies show
armor that are allowing drug users to as high as 20% of driver
circumvent detection in urinalysis drug
screening. applicants are getting past
Investigators used false driver’s the DOT drug test.
licenses to gain access at all 24 collec-
tion sites targeted in the investigation, Is your pre-employment
demonstrating how easily a drug user applicant clean of drugs
could send a substitute to take test in
their stead. Additionally, 75 percent for a day, but has a
of the urine collection sites failed to hidden history of
restrict access to substances such as drug abuse?
clear water sources, soap, air freshener
or other chemicals that can be used
to dilute or adulterate a urine speci- The solution: Hair Testing
men. Quick research finds that drug-
masking products are widely available Be assured with MedDirect’s knowledgeable
on the Internet. Investigators purchased staff and hair specimen collectors nationwide.
a number of contaminants from the
Internet and successfully used them for
the specimen. Every adulterant used by Motor Carrier Specific
investigators went undetected by drug Hair Testing
screening labs and obtained a passing Repo t r
t
result. Studies/S ats/Q&A/More
Poor administering practices and
877-866-2161
prevalent use of adulterants are not the 877-866-2161 MedDirect
only limitations to urinalysis. Traces of GoMedDirect.com The Power of Choice
the most commonly used drugs among
truck drivers such as opiates, amphet-
l
l
l
I
amines and cocaine are erased relatively TPA Drug Testing MROs Compliance Background Checks
fast in urine. Consequently, even after Arkansas Trucking. cdr
arkansas Trucking rePorT | issue 2 2013 39

Hair Testing?

Opps.

877-866-2161 MedDirect
The Power of Choice