Globally, up to 3.3 million people die every year due to alcohol use disorder. This legal drug is one of the most commonly abused substances, yet it is one of the more difficult substances to detect. When you partner with a drug testing vendor, they can use EtG (ethyl glucuronide) and EtS (ethyl sulfate) testing […]
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Beyond Alcohol – The Challenges of Supervising the Drug-Impaired Driver
By: Mark Stodola, Impaired Driving Consultant When I was new to the field of adult probation supervision in Phoenix, Arizona in the mid 1980’s, I inherited a caseload of about 70 individuals convicted of a wide variety of charges, including Driving While Intoxicated (DWI). Having received a total of one week of training, I can’t […]
Read MoreStruggling with SUD for the Holidays
For most people, the holidays typically bring a sense of joy and comfort, but for those struggling with substance use disorders (SUD) this time of the year can be especially difficult. The winter holidays have become one of the most dangerous times of the year for drug and alcohol-related deaths and relapse. A Healthline survey […]
Read MoreDrug and Alcohol Testing in Community Corrections: Some Provocative Findings
Douglas B. Marlowe, J.D., Ph.D. Community corrections officers spend 10 to 40% of their workweek administering and responding to drug and alcohol tests (Alemi et al., 2004; Reichert et al., 2020). They do this because 30 to 50% of probationers and parolees have a moderate to severe substance use disorder (Fearn et al., 2017) and […]
Read MoreThe Impact of SUD and Mental Health on Healthcare Costs
People with SUD and other mental health diagnoses account for 60% of all healthcare spending, with just 7% of the spending attributed to mental health services and 53% attributed to physical health. [1,2] SUD-related physical health issues include emergency department visits, HIV or HEP-C treatments, repeat heart valve replacements, and neonatal abstinence syndrome, among others. […]
Read MoreRethinking Incarceration and Reducing Revocations
Richmond, Va. – In 2016, 4.5 million people were on community supervision in the United States. This system allows individuals to be held accountable for their actions while still serving their communities, families, and victims. Failure to follow the rules of probation or parole results in a technical violation and in some cases a revocation of […]
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