Sportspeople have done it for years and it’s now commonplace on our roads and in our workplaces. Now it’s becoming common in our prisons and drug testing in Queensland prisons is certainly throwing up some interesting results!
According to an article in a recent Brisbane Times, thousands of inmates in Queensland’s prisons are failing drug testing. They’re providing positive drug tests to illegal drugs such as amphetamines, cocaine, cannabis and ecstasy, and they’re providing positive drugs to prescription drugs as well, such as methadone, morphine and benzodiazepine.
The highest number of failed drug tests was for the prescription drug buprenorphine, which is taken as a replacement for heroin and methadone addiction. Next were benzodiazepine, morphine and cannabis.
In the article, Queensland Corrective Services Minister Mark Ryan says that targeted drug testing is conducted based on “intelligence or obvious physical symptoms, with prisoners who previously returned a positive result increasingly targeted”. Queensland Corrective Services also does random urine drug testing each week within high and low-security facilities.
Mr Ryan said the government had zero tolerance for drugs in prison.
“Barrier controls, searches, engagement in drug education and intervention programs, intelligence information and regular targeted and random drug testing are among the strategies used to keep drugs out of prisons,” Mr Ryan is quoted in the article, adding that the government had a zero tolerance for drugs in Queensland prisons.
“Should a prisoner return a positive drug test or fail to provide a sample, swift action is taken.”
Parolees in Queensland are also subject to random drug and alcohol testing.
While drug testing in Queensland’s prisons and drug testing of parolees may, on the surface, have little to do with drug testing and drug culture in our workplaces and on our roads, one conclusion that can’t be argued is that illegal drugs are used by many Queenslanders, not just those behind bars. And we also know from drug testing on Queensland’s roads and in Queensland’s workplaces, that there are plenty of people who are willing to take the risk and drive or go to work after taking drugs.
Drugs in your Queensland workplace
Are drugs an issue in your Queensland workplace? Let’s face it, if you have a medium or large size business, statistics would suggest that there will be at least one worker who does have an issue with drugs and will occasionally turn up to work under the influence.
To reduce the risk of drugs, ensure your workplace has a drug and alcohol policy and carry out drug testing regularly. Integrity Sampling in Queensland can help. We have our Queensland head office in Brisbane, which is supported by a regional network of technicians strategically based to ensure we are able to service most areas of this vast state.
To find out more, give us a call on 1300 SALIVA today!
IMAGE CAPTION:
Drugs testing in Queensland’s prisons are delivering some interesting, but perhaps not surprising, results. Credit Luca Castellazzi https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnpetru82/2150153420/
