Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Positive Drug Tests Among U.S. Workers Reach Highest Level In A Decade
The Wall Street Journal: Greater Share Of U.S. Workers Testing Positive For Illicit Drugs
The share of U.S. workers testing positive for illicit drug use reached its highest level in a decade, according to data from millions of workplace drug tests administered by Quest Diagnostics Inc., one of the nation’s largest medical-screening laboratories. Detection of illicit drugs—from marijuana to heroin to methamphetamine—increased slightly both for the general workforce and the “safety-sensitive” workforce, which includes millions of truck drivers, pilots, ship captains, subway engineers, and other transportation workers. (Weber, 9/14)
The Washington Post: Opioid Epidemic’s Hidden Hazard: SWAT Officers Treated For Fentanyl Exposure During Drug Raid
Amid the nation’s deadly and unrelenting opioid epidemic, U.S. law enforcement officers are shouldering an increasingly heavy burden — battling a booming drug market and responding to an endless string of narcotics-related calls while attempting to protect themselves from exposure to the lethal substances. Of particular concern is the potent synthetic opioid fentanyl, the subject of numerous alerts and advisories from the Drug Enforcement Administration, which has warned the nation’s policing community “to exercise extreme caution.” (Bever and du Lac, 9/14)
