Bruce R. Talbot Associates LLC

07/10/2026

Workplace Cannabis Rates Rising

​A new report by Celia Bernhardt highlights a disturbing trend in the American workforce: More U.S. workers are testing positive for cannabis, but fewer employers are actually concerned about it.

​Faced with hiring challenges and changing legal landscapes, many companies are actively scrapping pre-employment ma*****na screens just to get bodies through the door.

But dropping the pre-hire test doesn't mean the risk of on-the-job impairment magically disappears. In fact, it does the exact opposite.

​When you stop filtering at the door, the responsibility shifts entirely to what happens inside your facility.

​Standard drug tests only prove past use, not active impairment. If a pre-employment test is no longer part of your company safety strategy, your frontline defense has to change.

​This is exactly why Supervisor Reasonable Suspicion Training is no longer optional—it’s vital.

Your leadership team needs to know how to spot the immediate, physical indicators of cannabis intoxication in real-time.

​Dropping a hiring barrier shouldn't mean dropping your safety standards. Protect your workforce, reduce your liability, and ensure your supervisors are equipped to identify impairment before it leads to an incident.

06/03/2026

"But they passed the drug test. . ." Not all drugs of abuse are detected by a urine drug test.

An employee is found in a stupor at work. At first the manager thinks it is alcohol. However, there is no odor of liquor on the breath. Upon further examination the manager notes the employee is "nodding-off," has drooped eyelids and pin-pointed pupils. The employee is taken in for a workplace urine drug test but it comes back "no drugs detected".

The employee may be using the gray market drug 7-OH known on the street as "gas station he**in".

This drug, derived from the Kratom plant, produces the same general symptoms as a narcotic drug. Highly addictive, and dangerous to use while operating machinery or driving a car, this "gray market" drug sold in many gas stations and convenience stores will not show up on a standard workplace urine drug test.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on July 29, 2025 recommended that the Drug Enforcement Administration criminally ban concentrated 7-OH products as they are addictive and have no accepted medical use. No FDA-approved 7-OH drugs exist, and they are not legal as supplements or in foods.

Some members of Congress (e.g., Rep. Bresnahan, Sen. Marshall) have urged emergency action to stop the sale of this dangerous narcotic.

It's important for employers to remember that a workplace drug test does not detect all drugs of abuse. Documenting that the employee is not fit for duty should be the standard, not a urine test.

https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-takes-steps-restrict-7-oh-opioid-products-threatening-american-consumers

03/21/2026

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/21/world/deadly-drugs-paper.html?smid=url-share

Lab-made drugs soaked into the pages of letters, books and even legal documents are being smuggled behind bars, killing inmates and frustrating investigators.

02/13/2026

The Center for Forensic Science Research and Education (CFSRE) reports In vitro pharmacology data shows the new designer synthetic narcotic drug N-Propionitrile chlorphine
to be approximately 10-times more potent than fentanyl! This new drug is the latest analogue of brorphine which first hit the street-drug market in 2020.

N-Propionitrile chlorphine has been identified in 25 blood specimens from fatal overdoses tested at the CFSRE, the vast majority submitted in late-2025 and early-2026. In addition, N-propionitrile chlorphine has been tentatively identified in more than 100 toxicology cases at NMS Labs. Toxicology specimens originated from nine states across the United States, as well as three provinces in Canada.

Standard workplace urine drugs tests do not screen for these novel synthetic opioids.

02/09/2026

The article "Can Ozempic Cure Addiction?" by Sarah Stillman (published in the February, 2026, issue of The New Yorker) explores the emerging scientific frontier of using GLP-1 receptor agonists—the class of drugs including Ozempic and Wegovy—to treat substance use disorders.

Here is a summary of the key points:

1. The "Quiet Mind" Phenomenon
The article begins with anecdotal evidence that has been mounting since Ozempic became mainstream. Patients prescribed the drug for diabetes or obesity frequently reported a sudden disappearance of "food noise," but many also noticed a secondary effect: a loss of interest in alcohol, ni****ne, gambling, and even compulsive shopping. Stillman describes this as a "rewiring" of the brain’s reward circuitry.

2. The Science of Reward
The piece explains how GLP-1 receptors aren't just in the gut; they are also prevalent in the brain's dopamine system (specifically the ventral tegmental area).
• Dampening the "High": Researchers believe these drugs may dull the dopamine spike associated with addictive substances or behaviors.
• Breaking the Cycle: By stabilizing the brain's response to triggers, the drug may help prevent the intense cravings that lead to relapse.

3. Clinical Trials and Early Results
Stillman highlights several ongoing clinical trials testing semaglutide (Ozempic) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro) specifically for alcohol and opioid use disorders. Early data suggests a significant reduction in consumption among participants, though researchers caution that "curing" addiction is a more complex psychological process than simply suppressing a physiological urge.

4. Societal and Medical Implications
The article addresses the potential for a paradigm shift in how addiction is treated:
• Medicalization vs. Morality: Using a weekly injection to treat addiction further pushes the field toward a medical model rather than a "willpower" or moral-failing model.
• Access and Equity: A major theme is the cost. With Ozempic costs $199 per month on the new Trump RX but increases to $350 a month for higher doses. This innovative treatment may only be available only to the wealthy, while the poor, hit hardest by the opioid crisis, will remain without access unless Medicare decides to pick up the cost.

5. Risks and Caveats
Stillman does not ignore the downsides. The "anhedonia" (the inability to feel pleasure) that some users report is a concern. If the drug dulls the "high" of alcohol, it might also dull the joy of food, s*x, or hobbies. There is also the question of "forever use"—whether patients would need to stay on these drugs indefinitely to prevent a return of addictive cravings.

GLP-1s currently represent the most promising pharmacological development in addiction medicine in decades. However, the author emphasizes that chemical intervention must be paired with structural social support to truly address the roots of the addiction crisis.

https://www.newyorker.com

01/30/2026

Drug Deaths Drop Sharply: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), via their Vital Statistics Rapid Release program the largest one-year decline in drug overdose death rates ever recorded!

The January 29, 2026 report noted the declines occurred across all age groups, racial/ethnic groups, and s*xes.

Notably, deaths involving synthetic opioids (primarily fentanyl and it's many analogs) decreased by 35.6 percent.

Analysts relate the change is partly do to "fentanyl saturation" and potential reductions. Recent analyses suggest a "negative supply shock," where fentanyl became less potent or less available (e.g., DEA data shows street fentanyl purity falling about 50% alongside deaths from mid-2023 to late 2024).

A leading theory from a 2026 Science paper links declines to China's 2023 crackdown on fentanyl precursor chemicals and online sales platforms (following US-China diplomacy), creating a temporary "drought" in high-purity supply. Producers may have adapted somewhat by 2025, contributing to the slowing decline.

12/27/2025

New research from Columbia University Irving Medical Center suggests that any cannabis use in teens could impact emotional health and academic performance. The study, published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, found a correlation between even low-level cannabis use and increased anxiety, depression, and poorer grades. Prioritizing teen well-being means understanding these potential risks. Read more here: https://www.cuimc.columbia.edu/news/teens-any-cannabis-use-may-have-impact-emotional-health-academic-performance
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