Pubdate: Wed, 24 Jan 2007
Source: Journal Standard, The (Freeport, IL)
Copyright: 2007 The Journal Standard
Contact:  http://www.journalstandard.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3182
Author: Cara Spoto, The Journal-Standard

DRUG ABUSE AT WORK - IT'S IN THE EYES

Expert Offers Detection Tips at Freeport Session

Drug Paraphernalia Is Part of a User's Lifestyle. Keeping Your Eyes 
Open to Behavior and "The Tools of the Trade" Will Help Identify 
Employees Who Are Using in the Workplace.

FREEPORT - While testing and other tactics can be powerful tools in 
detecting whether an employee is abusing drugs or alcohol, former 
suburban police sergeant and drug recognition expert, Bruce Talbot 
says an equally strong indicator is behavior.

"The eyes are the windows of the soul," the Woodridge man told more 
than 50 gathered at Freeport Public Library Wednesday. "All drug use 
will show up in the eyes."

The four-hour training session was hosted by New Vision, a medical 
stabilization service focusing on drug, alcohol and related health 
issues. Attendees learned of the affects of various drugs - 
everything from alcohol and tranquilizers to narcotics like heroin and Vicodin.

"The goal is to find out if someone is reporting to work under the 
influence," said Talbot, who teaches drug recognition to police and 
corporate clients throughout the country.

He pointed out behavior ticks exhibited by stimulant abusers - such 
as tremors, hyperactivity, sweating, dry mouth, red nose, sniffling, 
paranoia and depression.

"You are not firing these people because of their substance abuse 
problems," said Talbot. "You are firing them because of their 
performance and behavior problems." *

Talbot said the trick between determining if your employee is doing 
cocaine - rather than just sick with a runny nose or allergies - is 
focusing on their pupils. In cocaine abusers, pupils are likely to be 
dilated by 50 percent more than their irises.

Conversely, Talbot said the pupils of heroin users will be abnormally 
small. Other signs of heroin use is dream-like, spacey behavior, 
face-itching and scratching and lidded eyes.

"There has been a 186 percent increase in heroin overdoses in 
Chicago," said Talbot, adding that the drug is widely available in 
potent form today in many cities. What's more, many who would have 
never used intravenous drugs are trying heroin in powder form.

Talbot urged employers to move away from screening workers only when 
they have reasonable suspicion the person is doing drugs, since such 
tests tend to only be good at detecting late-stage addicts who have 
gotten careless.

"Drug users are notoriously sloppy," he said, telling audience 
members to look around for paraphernalia, like pipes made out of pop 
cans, light bulbs and glass tubes; and pay close attention to the 
behavior of problem employees by greeting them at the door when they 
come in and looking in their eyes.

If they appear to be high, said Talbot, employers should make sure 
they have a witness to help them document the event.

Talbot mentioned a large bakery firm who found out about an employee 
drug problem - only after a cookie came down the assembly line with a 
crack pipe sticking out of it.

"Luckily they found it," Talbot said. "The expensive part was not 
having a policy ... throwing out the cookies from that run and 
shutting down the entire factory for a week to sterilize the machines."

Sharon Cox, a nursing supervisor from Beloit Memorial Hospital 
attended the workshop with four of her co-workers.

"It's important to know if any of our employees may be in trouble or 
need help," she said.
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MAP posted-by: Elaine