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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 11 H E A LT H Y B U S I N E S S a program, must set up an employee committee, and many other require- ments that many smaller employers don't have the sta , time or money for, stakeholders say. But, Rabinowitz says, the number of employers who drug test is still going up because of a variety of factors, not all related to drugs being in the news. ose issues may be as varied as an employer having drug-related issues in the work- place that didn't exist before, employ- ers that do business in other states that require it, or employers that didn't realize they had to register with the state to test, so now have registered. Rabinowitz says the numbers have shown over the years that, despite the fact every employer that tests didn't answer the survey, the statistics are consistent with what would be expected overall, particularly for marijuana. "While there may be small variations, the relative percentages of cannabinoid positives to others seems to be consistent no matter who is or isn't reporting from year to year," she says. Manufacturing and trade industries led the way with positive tests, with . of those tested at businesses testing positive. e lowest number testing positive are in the transportation and public utilities industry, where . at businesses did — though many of the jobs in those industries don't come under state testing laws, because they adhere to more rigid federally mandated ones. Other fi ndings in the report: ¡ . of job applicants tested posi- tive, out of , tests ¡ . of those tested for probable cause were positive, out of tests ¡ . of those randomly tested had a positive reading, out of ,. e overall statistics are consistent for applicant tests, but of probable-cause tests, . were positive for marijuana- related substances, while . were positive for amphetamines and . were positive for opioids. Of those randomly tested, . were positive for marijuana-related drugs, . for amphetamines and . for opioids. Rabinowitz said that random test- ing, which is severely restricted and only allowed for employers with or more employees or safety-sensitive positions "may serve as a deterrent to drug use, as compared with probable cause that has much higher positives." M M , a M a i n e b i z c o r r e s p o n d e n t , c a n b e r e a c h e d a t @ . You want the best cancer care anywhere, but you want to fi nd it right here. We're with you. The Harold Alfond Center for Cancer Care at MaineGeneral is proudly celebrating its 10-year anniversary. That's 10 years of being by your side when you need it most. And with top doctors and state-of-the-art technology, we will remain a leader in cancer care for decades to come. Learn more about our comprehensive cancer care at MaineGeneral.org/CancerCare. BANGOR, MAINE • 207.947.4501 • RUDMANWINCHELL.COM Just ask our clients, and they'll agree with Chuck and Belinda. For 100 years, Rudman Winchell has earned the trust and respect of businesses all across the state of Maine. Give us a call and find out what we can do for you. A TRUE STRATEGIC PARTNER FOR YOUR BUSINESS Chuck and Belinda Lawrence, owners of TradeWind Markets: "For more than 10 years, we've been pleased personally and professionally with the quality and diversity of Rudman Winchell." "

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