The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced in February, 2012 that it has accepted the recommendations of its technical advisory committee, the Drug Testing Advisory Board (DTAB), and will proceed with revisions to the DHHS Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs. The recommendations include: (1) expanding the drug testing panel to include additional Schedule II prescription medications (e.g. hydrocodone, hydromorphone, oxycodone and oxymorphone) prescription painkiller opioid drugs, and (2) including oral fluid as an alternative specimen for Federal DFWP testing. These additions strengthen the existing federal drug abuse prevention and control programs.
The U.S. DOT has voiced its support for SAMHSA's actions, and will follow with rulemaking to amend its drug testing regulations that govern drug testing of over 9 million workers in transportation occupations. The DOT is required by law to follow HHS procedures for the drugs for which it tests and the specimens it tests.
This is pending and will not happen overnight. The federal rulemaking process is a deliberate one and there will be many months ahead of proposed rules, comment periods, further evaluation and data collection, final regulations and implementation schedules. MORE TO COME AS THIS PROGRESSES
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