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Answering your questions about what we can do to avoid getting infected and infecting others.

A/Prof David Allen MBBS(Hons), DPH, FAFOEM Occupational and Environmental Physician Conjoint Appointee UNSW School of Public Health and Community Medicine Pa...

When deciding how to implement drug & alcohol testing at your workplace, the in-house option can seem attractive. Train a couple of responsible employees t...

With such a contentious issue, our decision-makers require up to date, credible and well referenced scientific and technical information to inform their de...

Unfortunately not! A quick internet search of “how to pass a urine drug test” will provide anyone with a huge variety of options for methods to ‘cheat’ – a...

Recently, the seizure by law enforcement officials of a spectacular amount of cocaine (more than 380kg, or a street value of approximately $144 million) in...

The use of MDMA (Ecstasy) and heroin in Australia is increasing according to the most recent analysis of wastewater. The National Wastewater Drug Monitoring ...

Any policy, including an Alcohol and Drugs policy, needs to be provided and explained to all employees for it to be effective. Australian courts and tribu...

Onsite tests are screening devices so they will detect any substances that are chemically like the target drugs. For this reason, results from onsite devic...

We often get asked whether workers being drug tested should disclose any medications that they are taking. Many workers who have been tested by other agenc...

One in every 166 people (130,000) in Australia are getting specialist public treatment for substance use in 2017–18, according to the most recent report fr...

A worker who was dismissed for being very drunk at an after-work drinks function has been reinstated by the Fair Work Commission. (1) The woman was employe...

The old stereotype of an opioid/heroin addict is no longer typical. In reality, opioid addiction and overdose affect all parts of society - including white ...

You may be aware that the standard by which we conduct workplace oral fluid drug testing AS4760 (2006) has recently been updated. The new standard, ASNZS47...

Currently there is debate about whether “pill testing” should be provided at music festivals to those concerned about the safety and composition of a recre...

The use of medicinal cannabis in Australia is increasing. Over 3,100 prescriptions have been approved by the Department of Health (TGA) since March 2018. T...

Safe Work NSW, the state’s workplace health and safety regulator, has written to one of the nation’s top law firms advising of concerns that “workers and o...

The end of the year is approaching and many of us will celebrate the festive season over a drink or three with friends, family and work colleagues. However...

A recent report from South Australia’s peak business lobby, Business SA, has found that more people than ever are turning up for work under the influence o...

Often users of cannabis report that they take it for pain. New research suggests that it may have no effect on chronic pain. Certainly cannabis use is high...