Washington, D.C.--Rep. Eliot L. Engel (D-NY) has re-introduced the Drug Testing Integrity Act (H.R. 858), a bill to prohibit products used to enable cheating on drug tests.

“Parents have no assurances their children’s school bus drivers are not using readily available products to defeat drug tests,” said Rep. Engel, a senior member of the Energy and Commerce Committee. “Drug tests are given by employers to ensure their workers are drug free, and athletes are not using. The devastating effects of drug and steroid use are well-known, and we should prohibit companies from selling products used to falsify drug tests. These devices should not be sold in the United States, and this legislation will make our nation a safer place to live.”

The Drug Testing Integrity Act would grant the Federal Trade Commission powers to prosecute those who sell products which mask the use of illicit drugs in drug testing. It would make it unlawful to knowingly manufacture, market, sell, ship or otherwise provide an individual with any product designed to assist in defeating a drug test.

In November 2008, the owners of Puck Technology, makers of devices designed to circumvent drug tests, pled guilty in Federal Court to conspiring to defraud the government. According to the court report, owners were only charged with “conspiracy to defraud the government” based on testimonials and boasts on the website that the products could pass even “federal drug tests.” The company and its owners defrauded the government's Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, which is tasked with overseeing federal workplace drug testing programs.
However, that limited charge against the owners continues to allow the thousands of drug test subversion products on the market to be available for purchase to pass federal, private, and athletic drug tests. H.R. 858 will stop the production and sale of drug testing subversion products once and for all.

With a simple internet search, a consumer is able to find innumerable “companies” promoting and marketing different ways to beat a drug test. “Illegal drug use in the workplace contributes to decreased productivity and in the worst cases can lead to injuries and deaths. Drug test subversion doesn’t just hurt the individual, it can put both our workers and communities at risk,” said Rep. Engel.

Each year, drug use costs American businesses billions of dollars. As more products intended to defraud drug tests flood the market, laboratories must develop and utilize new drug detection technologies. These costs are passed along to employers, who may no longer be able to afford the testing that helps ensure a strong and effective drug-free workplace. Taking drug test subversion products off the market will help employers climb out from under this heavy financial burden.