Controlled Psychoactive Substances and Workplace Drug Testing

The use of psychoactive substances has been on the rise around the world. Psychoactive substances, such as amphetamine, codeine, cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine, etc. have potent pharmacological activities that cause cognitive and behavioral disorders. New psychoactive substances (NPSs) have also emerged that produce similar effects to those induced by illegal drugs, such as cocaine, cannabis, and amphetamines, but are not strictly regulated by international conventions. The rapid emergence since the mid-2000s of a large and diverse range of substances termed new psychoactive substances originally designed as legal alternatives to more established illicit drugs has challenged traditional approaches to drug monitoring, surveillance, control, and public health responses. Drug testing is an application used for detected substance use or abuse evaluation processes. As substance use affects human health and safety for not only the person who uses the substance, but also the people around him who do not use it in workplace areas. Therefore, drug testing is used in clinical and forensic purposes in employment, educational, and legal settings. These tests ensure that employers and employees comply with the legal regulations while also helping to lessen business accidents and workplace crime, improve business quality and productivity, and promote drug use avoidance. There have been many scientific, technical, and legal challenges to the validity of urine drug testing. This paper presents definitional information on the terms of psychoactive substances use, legislation of drugs and explores challenges and opportunities for drug monitoring with a view to public health and public safety.