Official: Air Force drug testing seems to deter use
A few years ago, Senior Airman Heather Brewster’s recreational use of painkillers would have gone undetected by the Air Force’s random drug testing program.
Brewster, who formerly worked at a regional drug testing site at RAF Upwood in England, was convicted last week of illegally using the prescription drug oxycodone, falsifying documents and dereliction of her duties in the Air Force’s drug testing program.
The Air Force only began testing for painkillers, such as oxycodone, in 2006, after abuse of those drugs began to rise in the general public, said Lt. Col. Jay Stone, Substance Abuse Program Manager for the Air Force Surgeon General.
At the same time, barbiturates — pills taken as sedatives or hypnotics — were dropped from the testing list at the Air Force’s dedicated drug testing laboratory in San Antonio. Those decisions were made by the Department of Defense and also affected the tests processed by the Army and Navy, Stone said.
But exclusive to the Air Force is its “smart” testing initiative that screens junior ranks — E-1 to E-4 and O-1 and O-2 — more frequently. The program was launched in 2004 after Air Force officials noted a higher rate of drug abuse among 18- to 24-year-old airmen.
“The idea was to increase the rate of testing for the population that data had been showing us was the highest risk group,” Stone said.
Testing in that demographic was hiked from 65 percent to 100 percent, he said, adding that because the tests are administered randomly some troops may be tested more than once while others not at all, although the number of tests for junior ranks equals its number of servicemembers.
The Air Force spends about $16 million annually to operate its drug testing and prevention programs.
So far, “smart” testing seems to curb drug abuse — not necessarily by catching more people using drugs, but by deterring them from doing it in the first place, Stone said.
“It gives them the ammunition to say ‘I’m going to pass up that doobie because I don’t want my name selected on Monday,” he said. “That way they don’t have to appear to be no fun. The excuse is ‘I don’t want to risk getting caught.’”
The Air Force has reported a steady annual decline in positive results since the initiative was implemented in 2004. However, because new drugs were added and others discarded to urinalysis, and medical reviews were added to the statistical process to remove those with prescriptions for the drugs found in their urine, the preliminary data may not be conclusive, Stone said.
Still, in 2004, .8 percent of the 432,409 specimens tested positive for drugs while only .5 percent of the 391,283 specimens tested positive in 2007. The latter data excludes samples collected from members of the Air Guard.
While painkillers may be more commonly abused these days and will now show up on a urinalysis, marijuana and cocaine remain at the top of the list, Stone said.
Drug-related cases consume a lion’s share of courts-martial in the Air Force, records show.
In 2007, 43 percent of the 86 courts-martial tried within U.S. Air Forces in Europe revolved around cases that included at least one drug charge. That statistic jumps to 50 percent for the 776 courts martial conducted that same year Air Force-wide.
http://www.stripes.com/news/official-air-force-drug-testing-seems-to-deter-use-1.77339
The effects of marijuana use on life insurance rates
With eighteen states accompanied by Washington DC now allowing marijuana for medicinal use, you and your clients may be wondering how life insurance companies are viewing this new outlook on marijuana usage.
Nearly 40% of the states have legalized the medical use of this substance. In addition, eleven more states have pending or failed legislation. Scientific research has unveiled medical benefits to marijuana that were once unknown. Life insurance underwriters are now faced with how to rate the usage of this medicinal substance.
Medical marijuana is used to treat a wide array of diseases and illnesses including, but not limited to, chronic pain, insomnia, unintentional weight loss, nausea, premenstrual syndrome, asthma, and glaucoma.
The eighteen states (along with Washington DC) that have now legalized marijuana are Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.
With so many states legalizing the medical benefits of this drug, will life insurance companies also acknowledge the good? The answer: It depends.
Must do
These tips will help your clients get approved for life insurance if they use marijuana. First the applicant needs to disclose the marijuana use information up front. If marijuana shows up on blood or urine tests, without the applicant telling the carrier, the applicant will be declined. All carriers will require a drug questionnaire when you disclose this information upfront, as they will want to know the reasons for use as well as how often. All carriers will also require a urine test.
Each life insurance company has its own guidelines and underwriting rules; therefore the use of marijuana is viewed differently by each. Some companies will rate applicants as a standard smoker, giving them double the rates of those as a nonsmoker while others are okay for occasional use. The rules and ratings vary widely. Let’s take a look.
Ratings for the marijuana user
Marijuana usage is not viewed as other drugs such as cocaine, for example. Testing positive for THC will not lead to a flat rejection of a life insurance policy. However, the use of this substance can result in receiving a cigarette smoker’s rates, which are substantially higher than those of a non-smoker.
Life insurance classifications for a marijuana user are guidelines and are not set in stone; they can change at any time per the company consideration. Also other health conditions could change consideration. The majority of the company information below comes from a blog researched and written by Jeff Root, owner of Root Financial.
● American General: Smoking marijuana more than twice monthly could result in the rates of a smoker with the possibility of a table rating. Smoking two times per month will set the rating as a standard non-smoker. Applicants who smoke two times a year or less could be rated as a preferred best non-smoker.
● Banner Life: Applicants could be considered a standard smoker with occasional use. They could be rated as a substandard table B smoker with daily use.
● Fidelity: A standard smoker classification will be given if there is any marijuana use in the past 12 months. However, an applicant be classified as a sub-standard smoker if medical marijuana is prescribed.
● Genworth Financial: Applicants who use marijuana eight times a month or less could be classified as a standard smoker. Users who smoke more than eight times may be considered a sub-standard smoker. Also, this company does not recognize prescription use of marijuana.
● ING Reliastar: If marijuana is prescribed, users could be classified as a Table 4 Smoker. With daily use, they could be classified as a preferred smoker.
● Lincoln Benefit: If a prescription is shown on one’s medical records and usage is stated on the application, applicants could be classified as a non-smoker. Occasional users without a prescription can be classified as a standard smoker.
● Lincoln National: Applicants can use marijuana up to two times per week and be classified as a
standard non-smoker. Usage of 3-4 times a week will result in a sub-standard Table B non-smoker rating. Applicants will be declined if they use marijuana more than four times per week.
● Met Life: Applicants who otherwise would merit a preferred plus rating and uses marijuana occasionally (once a month to once a week) could get a preferred plus non-smoker rating. (More than once a week is equivalent to a smoker’s rate.) Daily use could be a table 4 rating. Heavy users could be declined.
● Mutual of Omaha: Applicants will rate as a standard nons-moker with up to weekly use. If lab results indicate more frequent usage, then smoker rates will apply.
● Minnesota Life: Applicants who test positive for THC could be given a smoker table 3 rating. Occasional or recreational users will be given preferred non-smoker rates but will have to test negative for THC.
● North American: Applicants over 25 years old who use marijuana 3-8 times per month could be rated a standard smoker. If they use 8-16 times a month they could be rated as high as a table 2 smoker. More than 16 times a month will be declined.
● Protective Life: Marijuana use could result in a standard smoker rating.
● Prudential Financial: Using marijuana up to two times per month and testing negative for THC will qualify applicants as a standard plus non-smoker. A Table B non-smoker (even with THC positive lab tests) rating will be applied if usage is up to four times per week. Usage over four times weekly will be declined.
● Transamerica - Marijuana smokers could be considered a standard smoker rate class with no other health issues.
Researching the companies
As you can see, life insurers’ ratings for marijuana users vary widely. Even if medical marijuana is prescribed, applicants could be still be classified as a smoker or declined. For those of your clients who use marijuana medicinally or recreationally, it is essential that you, as their advisor, research life insurance companies before applying. When combined with other health problems, marijuana usage will not be well received by an insurance underwriter.
Applicants who already have a life insurance policy in force may be paying unnecessarily high rates. Each company’s insurance underwriters view the use of marijuana differently. Don’t let your clients pay high life insurance premiums if less expensive alternatives are available.
http://www.lifehealthpro.com/2013/06/19/exploring-the-effects-of-marijuana-use-on-life-ins?page=2
What Drugs Do Life Insurance Companies Test For?
Urinalysis is becoming an increasingly popular means for employers, insurers and government agencies to determine the risk profiles of the individuals with whom they interact. While pre-employment drug screenings have been routine for many years, these tests are becoming more prevalent in other areas of the economy as well. If you're applying for a life insurance policy, you might be surprised to learn that you'll be subject to a urine test for certain legal and illegal substances.
If your policy comes with a particularly large face value, you might be subject to an even more rigorous screening. This might come in the form of a blood test or hair-follicle exam. The former may accurately reveal your substance-use history over the preceding three to five months. The latter may accurately measure your substance-use history over the preceding six to nine months.
Although urine tests are far more time-sensitive, they can still reveal evidence of substance abuse within the past few days. For some substances, this look-back window may be a bit longer. For instance, marijuana may remain detectable in urine samples for up to one month after the subject's most recent indulgence.
When you apply for a life insurance policy, you'll probably need to submit to a urine test during the course of your pre-approval medical exam. Unlike certain pre-employment drug screenings that may only test for a few illicit substances, this test is likely to be comprehensive. You'll be tested for metabolic evidence of illegal drugs like marijuana, cocaine, opiates, barbiturates, amphetamines and others. If the screening reveals evidence of any of these substances, you'll be asked to submit to a more sensitive "confirmation" test.
If this test also comes back with a positive reading, your insurance application will probably be denied without comment. After all, your insurance provider will assume that your illegal drug use puts you at risk for a life-threatening overdose or other serious health complications.
If you test positive for non-illegal medications like certain painkillers, you may be asked to produce a prescription for the drugs. Without such a prescription, your coverage application could be denied outright. Meanwhile, you may also be tested for certain legal substances like caffeine and nicotine. If you test positive for caffeine, your insurer may conclude that you're at a slightly higher risk of life-shortening cardiovascular problems and raise your rates accordingly. If you test positive for nicotine metabolites, you'll be forced to pay significantly more for your coverage.
Law Dictionary: What Drugs Do Life Insurance Companies Test For?
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