Technologies for an on-site drug testing option that has proven extremely convenient in criminal justice settings continue to become more readily available to addiction treatment programs, though many treatment centers still wrestle with whether it makes sense for them to devote the in-house time needed to process their own testing of clients and analysis of test results. Bill Current, president of WFC & Associates, who oversees the Ultimate Guide to State Drug Testing Laws subscription service, says there are currently 50 million tests a year being conducted and only 10% use point-of-collection devices. While three states prohibit these devices, most others states have restrictions in place, such as those statutes that allow point-of-collection testing only for pre-employment screening purposes. “When most state drug testing laws were written, 10 years ago or more, they were geared specifically for the workplace market,” said Current. “Therefore, the answer to the question of whether any state restrictions on point-of-collection testing apply to addiction treatment organizations must be researched on a state-by-state basis, with a close examination of statute language.”
