By now most people have heard of Synthetic Cannabinoids, i.e. K-2, Spice, etc. The newest craze is Bath Salts – watch Dr. Oz report on this.
http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/deadly-new-drug-pt-1
Archive for the 'Tests and Services' Category
Bath Salts? It’s really a drug and it’s legal!
Published July 20, 2011 Cannabinoids , drug testing , Drug-Free Work Week , Human Resources , Incense , Ivory Wave , JWH-018 , K2 , methamphetamine , Spice , student drug testing , teen drug use , Tests and Services , toxicology , Uncategorized Leave a CommentExperTox Opens New Lab
Published June 7, 2011 drug testing , Human Resources , Incense , Ivory Wave , JWH-018 , K2 , Meconium drug testing , Occupational Exposure Testing , Occupational health , Occupational medicine , Poisoning , Prescription Drugs , Safety , Spice , student drug testing , teen drug use , Tests and Services , toxicology , Toxins , Uncategorized Leave a Comment
Have you ever wondered how a true forensic lab runs? If you are in the Houston area, we would like to invite you to visit us at our Open House on June 16, 2011. See more information at the link below.
Our state of the art laboratory was designed by President Loretta Anderson and RGR Partnership, LTD and constructed by Tribble and Associates Contractors. The new lab space has over 3100 square feet with the option to utilize an additional 5000 square feet of off-site storage as needed.
The lab was designed with optimal work flow, employee convenience and with environmental sensitivity in mind. There are separate departments for accessioning, specimen preparation, screening, EIA, ELISA, Heavy Metals ICP-MS, GC/MC, LC/MS, extraction hoods and analyzing (test data). In addition, there is a dedicated department for Certifying Scientist for reporting results.
Top Signs Your Child May Be Using Drugs or Alcohol
Published March 16, 2011 alcohol , Cannabinoids , drug testing , Hair testing , nail testing , Prescription Drugs , student drug testing , teen drug use , Tests and Services Leave a CommentTags: alcohol, drug test, drug testing, expertox, teen drug abuse, teen drug use
Drugs and Alcohol
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse’s (NIDA) 2008 “Monitoring The Future” study on illicit drug and alcohol use by teens and youth, drug use trends that concern both parents and schools reflect:
- 10.9% of 8th graders, 23.9% of 10th graders and 32.4% of 12th graders use marijuana
- 15.4% of 12th graders have used prescription drugs for non-medical purposes. Vicodin continues to be abused at high levels.
- 2.7% of 8th graders, 7.2% of 10th graders and 9.6% of 12th graders had abused Vicodin
- 1.8% of 8th graders, 3.9% of 10th graders and 5.2% of 12th graders had abused OxyContin for nonmedical purposes at least once in the year prior to being surveyed
From peer pressure to looking for a way to deal with family and life challenges, drug and alcohol use by teens is a problem. More importantly, parents and schools may work hand-in-hand in monitoring and managing substance abuse.
What are some of the signs and symptoms of teen drug and/or alcohol use? The short list includes:
- Behavioral issues
- Changes in relationships with family members or friends
- Mood changes or emotional instability
- Withdrawn or depressed; uncommunicative
- Periods of sleeplessness or high energy, followed by long periods of sleeping
- Absenteeism or loss of interest in school or extracurricular activities
- Failure to fulfill responsibilities at school or home
- Disappearance of prescription and over-the-counter drugs, as well as alcohol or money
- Personal appearance, habits or action changes
- Poor hygiene and personal care
- Track marks on arms or legs
- Frequently breaking curfew
- Using over-the-counter eye reddening washes and/or breath mints and gum more frequently
ExperTox supports both parents and schools through its drug and alcohol testing services designed to target those most vulnerable areas of substance abuse by youth and teens. Alternative specimen testing options allow for drug detection over varying time periods, from recent use to six months or more, including oral fluid, blood, urine, hair and nails.
These tests include:
- Drug Tests
- Alcohol Tests
- Synthetic Opiates such as Hydrocodone and Oxycodone (OxyContin)
The Dangers of Energy Drinks and Alcohol
Published March 8, 2011 alcohol , Human Resources , teen drug use , Tests and Services , toxicology , Uncategorized Leave a CommentWhen you consume a combination of Uppers and Downers, do they cancel each other out?
The answer is No. Since the latest fad drink, Four Loko, hit the scene, red flags have been raised with law enforcement and physicians around the country. Why are they worried about this drink?
Mixing caffeine with alcohol is nothing new. Party goers and bar patrons have been combining these two substances ever since energy drinks hit the market. But it wasn’t until recently that they were both sold in one colorful can.
The “Four” in Four Loko came from the main ingredients: alcohol, caffeine, taurine and guarana. These drinks also include carbonated water, sugar and natural and artificial flavoring.
Taurine is an organic acid. Despite being present in many energy foods, it has not been proven to be energy giving.
Guarana is an effective stimulant that contains twice the caffeine found in coffee beans. A review published by the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association states that the amounts of taurine and guarana found in popular energy drinks are far below the amounts expected to deliver therapeutic benefits or unfavorable actions. But like most things in excess, too much guarana may contribute (alone or in combination with caffeine and taurine) to onset of seizures in some people.
Caffeine is a stimulant. It increases blood pressure and heart rate. Caffeine can cause headaches, jitteriness, agitation, stomach problems and abnormal breathing. It’s the equivalent of an adrenaline rush.
On the other hand, alcohol is a depressant. Alcohol slows down the brain’s functioning and impairs one’s ability to walk, talk and think clearly. Combined, the stimulant and the depressant do not cancel each other out. “Some people have the idea that the caffeine will negate the effect of alcohol, but that’s simply not true,” said Glenn Whelan, assistant professor at the University of South Florida’s College of Pharmacy.
According to Dr. Anthony Cardell, a cardiologist at Centre Medical and Surgical Associates, consuming one can (of Four Loko) equals about three glasses of wine or three to four bottles of beer. The caffeine content is about 135 milligrams, which is the equivalent of three cola sodas, one and a half Red Bulls or one cup of Starbucks coffee.
The main problem is that caffeine appears to override the natural sleepiness that occurs when someone drinks alcohol. Caffeine also postpones that feeling of drunkenness, so those who mix alcohol and caffeine in a drink are likely to keep drinking beyond their normal limits.
Scientists aren’t exactly sure how the body processes the mixture of caffeine and alcohol because the combination (based on the quantity found in alcoholic energy drinks) is too dangerous to test on humans in scientific experiments.
Researchers from the University of Florida conducted a study in 2008 where they interviewed college-age adults leaving bars. They found that bar patrons who reported drinking alcohol mixed with energy drinks (6.5 percent of study participants) were three times more likely to be intoxicated than the drinkers who consumed alcohol only. The average breath-alcohol concentration reading for those who mixed alcohol and energy drinks, was 0.109. Consumers of energy drink cocktails also left bars later at night, drank for longer periods of time, ingested more grams of ethanol and were four times more likely to express an intention to drive within an hour than patrons who drank alcohol only.
Like the conclusion in most of the articles written on this subject, the fact is, you should always drink responsibly. If you choose to drink, know what you are consuming. Know the dangers of mixing alcohol and caffeine. On the home page of the Four Loko website, their is information on how to drink responsibly and several links to responsible drinking resources.
References:
- Clauson, KA; Shields, KM; McQueen, CE; Persad, N. “Safety issues associated with commercially available energy drinks”. Journal of the American Pharmacists Association : JAPhA 48 (3): e55–63
- Johannes, Laura (March 2, 2010). “Can a Caffeine-Packed Plant Give a Boost?”. The Wall Street Journal: p. D3
- Iyadurai SJ, Chung SS (May 2007). “New-onset seizures in adults: possible association with consumption of popular energy drinks”. Epilepsy Behav 10 (3): 504–8
- “Dicey alcohol-caffeine mix not fully understood” Article from: The Washington Post Article date: December 5, 2010 Author: Linda Shrieves Copyright
Possible Addition to the K2 Legislation in Texas
Published February 1, 2011 Cannabinoids , drug testing , Ivory Wave , JWH-018 , K2 , Spice , teen drug use , Tests and Services , toxicology 1 CommentTags: drug test, JWH-018, K2, Spice, teen drug abuse, toxic substance
This was on the news on KHOU Channel 11 in Houston, TX this week. http://www.khou.com/home/Texas-could-consider-banning-Bath-Salts-114880629.html
Comprehensive K2 Legislation in TX
Published January 13, 2011 Cannabinoids , drug testing , Human Resources , JWH-018 , K2 , Occupational health , Occupational medicine , Spice , student drug testing , teen drug use , Tests and Services , toxicology , Uncategorized Leave a CommentTags: drug test, expertox, Human Resources, JWH-018, K2, Occupational medicine, teen drug abuse, teen drug use
Read more about the new bill being brought to the Texas Senate this week. It is the most comprehensive bill in the country!
Do You Require Drug Testing for Your Employees?
Published January 12, 2011 alcohol , drug testing , Drug-Free Work Week , Tests and Services , Uncategorized 5 CommentsTags: drug test, drug testing, drugs, expertox
Many employers require drug testing as part of their pre-employment assessment process, and may include periodic random drug testing and for-cause and post-accident drug and alcohol testing as part of their company’s workplace substance abuse program. Nearly 75% of all adult illicit drug users are employed, as are most binge and heavy alcohol users1 and problems related to alcohol and drug abuse cost American businesses roughly $81 billion in lost productivity in just one year2.
Drug and alcohol use by employees result in:
- Risk, safety and liability issues
- Loss of production
- Higher absenteeism and consistent tardiness
- Increased worker’s compensation costs and claims
- Increased incidences of theft, embezzlement and other crimes
- Higher employee turnover
- Employee behavior issues that affect a company’s morale, culture and image
In fact, industries with the highest rates of drug use are the same as those at a high risk for occupational injuries, such as construction, mining, manufacturing and wholesale3. These same employers must also be diligent in screening, monitoring and caring for prospective candidates and employees who may work in high risk occupations through more specialized occupational health testing.
Do You Trust Your Tap Water?
Published January 4, 2011 Tests and Services , water 2 CommentsTags: expertox, hexavalent chromium, lead, Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, water
When most of us were kids, we played outside and drank water from the garden hose. Most likely you have traded in the garden hose for bottled or filtered water, but you still need tap water for several household uses. How much do you know about your water and is it safe to drink? The answer depends on where you live.
According to The Washington Post, Hexavalent chromium is being studied by the state of California as a possible carcinogen and has been found in the water supply of 31 cities. 25 of these cities are above the maximum safety level that this California study suggests.
Remember the movie Erin Brockovich? This is the substance on which that movie was based. Hexavalent chromium is used for industrial practices like chrome plating and plastics manufacturing. The real Erin Brockovich, who is a legal advocate, says she wasn’t surprised by the report because so many factories are using it.
The issue with hexavalent chromium, according to the study by the state of California, is it causes cancer in rats. If California decides to limit the amount of this substance in drinking water, it will be the first standard like this in the U.S.
The highest level was from Norman, OK. Their figure came in at 200 times more than the safe limit (.06 parts per billion) proposed in the California study.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) released the results of a three-year investigation of municipal water supplies across the U.S. The research and advocacy group looked at water quality tests performed by water utilities since 2004. The EWG also rated 100 cities’ water utilities with a population over 250,000.
Cities with the best water are Arlington, TX, Providence, RI, Fort Worth, TX, Charleston, SC, Boston, MA, Honolulu, HI, Austin, TX, Fairfax County, VA, St. Louis, MO and Minneapolis, MN.
Cities with the worst water are Pensacola, FL, Riverside, CA, Las Vegas, NV, Reno, NV, Houston, TX, Omaha, NE, San Diego, CA and Jacksonville, FL.
Your city not listed? Click here for the full 100-city listing.
The most widespread and well-known contaminant in tap water in the U.S. is lead. Authorities suggest to run the tap water for 30 seconds before using it.
For more information, please click below.
September is Cancer Awareness Month
Published September 14, 2010 Cancer , leukemia , March for Babies , March of Dimes , Tests and Services , toxicology , Uncategorized Leave a CommentTags: bone marrow, cancer, candle, leukemia
As September is Cancer awareness month, Expertox is proud to recognize Eric Helmreich, a 22 year survivor of AML, Acute Myeloid Leukemia, and current Lab Technician of Expertox forensic toxicology. Eric, who received his diagnosis when he was just 2 years old, was the first ontologous bone marrow transplant – meaning he donated bone marrow to himself – at Texas Children’s Hospital, a client of Expertox.
After winning his battle with cancer, Eric’s family, as well as a small group of other families who endured the drama of childhood cancer, formed the Houston area Candlelighters association, www.candle.org, to provide practical and emotional support to other families battling childhood cancer. Eric, as he has gotten older, became a valuable member of Candlelighters assisting with many of their fundraising activities and moral support ventures to benefit local families affected by childhood cancer.
The next event is a weekend camp where entire families affected by a child’s diagnosis come to relax and escape. Candlelighters covers all the camp expenses for the familes thanks to generous donations at fundraising events such as their annual Golf Tournament at Wildcat Golf Course coming this April 2011. To assist Eric in his ventures of helping local families please donate to Candlelighters at www.candle.org and/or register to be a blood, organ, and/or marrow donor through the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center at www.giveblood.org. Nothing can be done to prevent childhood cancer, but much can be done to support those affected.
Back to School and Immunizations
Published August 16, 2010 Human Resources , Immunization , Occupational health , Occupational medicine , student drug testing , Tests and Services , Uncategorized , Vaccine Leave a CommentAugust is National Immunization Awareness month. This is the perfect time to remind family, friends and co-workers about immunizations. Parents are enrolling their children in school, young adults are preparing to enter college and employers are planning for this year’s flu season.
Vaccines offer safe and effective protection from many infectious diseases. Getting immunized is a life-long life protecting community effort, everyone from infants to the elderly need to keep current on their immunizations. Immunization is one of the most significant public health achievements in the past century. Several diseases such as small pox and polio have been eradicated due to vaccines. There are still cases of measles, diphtheria, rubella (chicken pox), and pertussis (whooping cough) in the U.S. and adults and children still die from these and other vaccine preventable diseases.
Children attending school in Texas are required to have been vaccinated for 9 communicable diseases. Children going into daycare have to be vaccinated for a total of 12 diseases. Young adults entering college should check with the registrar’s office to find out what immunizations are required before enrollment. Not all colleges and universities have immunization requirements but there are recommendations for students who will be living in dormitories. Your state’s Department of Health website will have all the information you need for immunizations.
The state of Texas grants and acknowledges the rights of a parent to exempt their children from vaccination requirements for school, daycare and college for reasons of religious beliefs or medical reasons. In 2003 the Texas legislature passed changes that expanded reasons a parent can claim an exemption. This process is complicated and time consuming. If you plan to have your child exempt from vaccination requirements don’t wait until the last minute. Check with your state’s Department of Health to obtain the official forms and instructions to complete this process.
Now is also a good time to remind any senior citizens in your life to check with their health care providers in regard to flu and pneumonia vaccine. Children and the elderly are most at risk for communicable diseases.
Health insurances will cover immunization costs. If you are uninsured check with your city/county health department on where you can go to get reduced cost or free vaccinations. In Texas you can call 211Texas toll free to get this information. You can also call the Immunization Branch Customer Service number (800) 252-9152 if you have any questions or need more information about immunizations.
Lou Ann Enis, Registered Nurse and Occupational Health Supervisor
