Study Says 11 Million Americans Drive Under Influence of Drugs

9/24/2003

A study by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) says that 11 million Americans have driven their vehicles while under the influence of illegal drugs last year, the Associated Press reported Sept. 17.

The report also concluded that one in five 21-year-olds have driven while impaired by drugs.

The findings prompted the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to launch an awareness campaign to show drivers that drugs can impair driving as much as alcohol. Part of the campaign is be geared towards educating teens about the dangers of driving while smoking marijuana.

The report's findings were based on the 2002 data collected from a survey of 68,000 people for the National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

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Energy Drink Contains Alcohol

9/19/2003
Police in Georgetown, Ky., discovered that the energy drink Yellow Jacket, manufactured by Browne Bottling Works in Oklahoma City, Okla., contains alcohol, WKYT-TV in Kentucky reported Sept. 18.

The discovery was made after a middle-school teacher smelled alcohol on the breath of a student who had been drinking Yellow Jacket at school.

When the Georgetown Police Department ran tests on the drink, it was found to have a .02 percent alcohol content.

As a result of the findings, police notified stores to pull the product from their shelves.

The energy drink can be purchased by all ages without an ID.

The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms plans to contact Browne Bottling Works about the matter.

More Information

Companies Forego Alcohol at Business Events

8/11/2003

Many businesses have decided against providing alcoholic beverages at company-sponsored outings, such as picnics, clambakes, golf outings, and Christmas parties, the Providence Business News reported Aug. 11.

Event planners said serving alcohol at a company event raises liability issues and can also alienate non-drinkers. "Alcohol just doesn't seem to be as big of a focus as it once was," said Richard Carbotti, president of Perfect Surroundings Inc., a special-events design and production company in Newport, R.I.

Carbotti said that companies that continue to serve alcohol at events have cut out the hard liquor and offer only beer, wine and champagne. Others just offer one or two free drinks to employees, rather than an open bar.

To address liability issues, John Bowen of Beacon Entertainment in Andover, Mass., said companies that serve alcohol at events often provide transportation.

"That covers them legally," Bowen said. "They're able to say, 'We provided transportation and made sure our employees got to and from the party safely.'"

www.jointogether.org

Three cases challenge marijuana laws

Martha Bellisle
RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL
8/30/2003

In the past three years, drivers who tested positive for marijuana have been involved in separate accidents that killed three people in Reno, including a police officer and an infant, and six in Las Vegas.

Prosecutors say the three drivers, all charged under Nevada’s law making it illegal to drive with a prohibited substance in their system, should spend up to 20 years in prison for each count they’re charged under.

But all three say the marijuana was not a factor in the fatal accidents, and the two Reno drivers say they had smoked pot the day before — not the day of the accident — so they could not have been impaired by the drugs.

The drivers in each of these cases are challenging the Nevada law, which was passed as part of a national trend in driving-under-the-influence legislation. The goal of the law is to crack down on drugged drivers without having to prove the drivers were actually impaired.

The two Reno cases have yet to go to trial, and the Las Vegas case will be tried again, unless the Nevada Supreme Court reverses a District Court judge’s ruling saying the woman must be retried because of a flaw in the statute.

For the complete article, click here.

Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor:

I’m the new manager at auto parts and repair shop. I know I’ve seen a written drug-free workplace policy in our employee handbook, but it doesn’t seem enforced and the employees are not aware of any policy.

Recently, I have noticed some rather suspicious activity from one of the younger mechanics and I strongly suspect that he may be involved in the dealing of drugs from the shop. Should I approach him privately about the matter or just keep quiet? After all, neither the workers nor the owners, seem to have any problems with this guy? I don’t want to lose my job over this. What should I do?
--- On Hold in Duluth.

Dear Holding On in Duluth,

DO NOT CONFRONT A SUSPECTED DRUG DEALER ALONE. You should always have a witness to your actions. Go to your supervisor, in this case, the owner and review the policy. Does it need to be updated? Convince the owner to review the policy with all workers. Make sure all workers have signed the policy. Observe more closely and document your suspicions. With the owner, confront the employee, provided you have more than just suspicions. If necessary, involve law enforcement. Finally, implement the following steps for all employees and policies.

• Keep written records that objectively document suspect employee performance. These can be used as a basis for referral for testing.
• Know your employees. Become familiar with each one’s skills abilities, and normal performance and personality.
• Become familiar with common symptoms of drug use.
• Document job performance regularly, objectively, and consistently for all employees.
• Take action whenever job performance fails, regardless of whether drug or alcohol use is suspected.
• Know the exact steps to be taken when an employee has a problem and ready to go for help.

If you would like more information regarding Workplace policies, you may want to consult the resources on our website.

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