Top drug testing manufacturer announces new screening panel which no longer detects cannabis and instead prioritises fentanyl or other controlled substances. This is in response to “the relentless change and the urgent need to adapt”, as more states are legalizing cannabis.
Psychemedics’ updated Advanced 5-Panel Drug Screen will “transform the way companies protect their workplaces by shifting the focus from marijuana to fentanyl, the greatest threat.”
The company claims that the screening panel has been approved by FDA and will increase the accuracy of detection for cocaine, opioids and PCP.
In a Friday press release, Psychemedics – which pioneered hair testing in 1987 – said that “the time for a new approach has arrived.” The traditional 5-panel drug test, which is based on a paradigm that dates back four decades, has failed to adapt to today’s drug market. It also cannot detect the drug fentanyl, which is rapidly gaining popularity.
Brian Hullinger is the president and CEO of Psychemedics. He said, “Few workplace challenges have seen such a dramatic transformation as the changing dynamics between marijuana and fentanyl.”
He said that Psychemedics, in recognition of this shift, has developed the Advanced 5-Panel as a bridge to the gap.
A growing number of states that have legalized cannabis have passed laws protecting workers who use marijuana outside the workplace, which prevents employers from taking negative action due to state-approved activities.
Marijuana Moment tracks more than 1,000 cannabis and drug policy bills that have been introduced in state legislatures, and Congress. Patreon supporters who pledge at least $25/month gain access to our interactive charts, maps and hearing calendar.
Discover more about our marijuana bills tracker. Become a Patreon supporter to gain access.
—
California’s Governor, for example, recently approved a law that prohibited employers from asking applicants about previous marijuana use.
This month, in Michigan, a new policy ended pre-employment drug tests for marijuana for the majority of government job applicants. It also gave people who had already been punished for positive THC test results an opportunity to get their sanction retroactively lifted.
In May, Washington State Governor passed a law protecting workers against employment discrimination due to their legal use of marijuana during the hiring process.
Washington now joins Nevada in banning discrimination against applicants who test positive for marijuana. New York offers a broader range of employment protections to adults who use cannabis legally during non-working hours.
The House Rules Committee repeatedly blocked efforts by legislators to stop the practice of testing federal job candidates for marijuana in large-scale budget bills this session.
In the Senate however, in July, senators passed defense legislation that includes provisions prohibiting intelligence agencies such as the CIA or NSA from denying applicants security clearances solely because of their past marijuana usage.
The House Oversight and Accountability Committee passed a bipartisan bill last month which would prohibit the denial or refusal of federal employment and security clearances because of a candidate’s past marijuana usage.
There are also growing concerns regarding fentanyl. experts may have disputed claims that marijuana was laced with fentanyl, but it’s now widely accepted that this powerful opioid can be found in heroin and cocaine.
Wisconsin Republican senator says that Democrat’s push for broader legalization of medical marijuana undermines the progress made by Wisconsin Republican senator
Martin Alonso is the photographer of this photo.
The post A major drug test manufacturer replaces marijuana with fentanyl in updated screening panel amid legalization movement appeared on Marijuana Moment.
