In July, Gov. John Kasich signed legislation outlawing “bath salts” and synthetic cannabinoids, which are products that mimic the effects of stimulants and marijuana and are sold at local smoke shops, gas stations and convenience stores.
Warren County Common Pleas Court already has the capability to test for bath salts and K2, a synthetic marijuana, said Scott McVey, court administrator.
While the costs of testing for designer drugs prohibits how often the test is administered to those serving probation in Warren County, McVey said his department does perform the test when they feel it’s necessary.
“If we have a suspicion, we can add it (the testing),” he said. “We do a lot of home visits and if we notice evidence of bath salts or K2, we do it,” he said.
A normal drug test costs $15, and if K2 and bathsalts are also tested, the test costs about $45, he said.
The new law takes effect on Oct. 17, but because the drugs are deemed mind-altering, it’s already a probation violation to be caught under the influence of bath salts or K2, he said.
Court administrator Gary Yates said Butler County does random drug testing of various types of substances, but declined to comment on if the courts already test for the drugs or have plans to so those on probation know what drugs will or won’t show up on a drug test.
“There are various designer drugs out there that we do and can test for,” he said. “When and where, and if we would do it is something we couldn’t disclose. We have 2,700 people that could be tested at any given time.”
Pam McCool-Ellish, senior manager of MedWork, said she expects that once the law is enacted, her company will see many employers choose to test for synthetic cannabinoids.
“I already have employers interested in that because people are trying to beat the system,” McCool-Ellish said. “After the first of the year, I see a lot of employers changing their policies, and they will add that to their standard drug test.”
MedWork serves municipalities, counties, schools, industrial companies, trucking businesses and other “safety sensitive” employers, McCool-Ellish said. In jobs where mistakes can be deadly, employers are interested in ensuring their workers are drug-free and not concealing a substance-abuse problem by using synthetic products, she said.
Quest Diagnostics, one of the largest drug-testing companies in the country, recommends that employers develop drug policies addressing synthetic drug use. However, Dr. Barry Sample, director of science and technology with the company, noted that labs can test for many of the substances, but it is not always practical or cost-effective to perform such screenings.
“There are literally hundreds of compounds that purveyors of these products may choose to use,” he said. “As a consequence, the specific substances are a moving target.”
About the Author