VIENNA TWP., Ohio - Drugs have become such a problem in the Valley, area businesses are having a difficult time finding workers who can pass a drug test.

Now the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce is stepping in to help defray the cost of drug testing for local businesses.

At Starr Manufacturing, Inc. in Vienna, safety is the top priority.  That's why drug testing is done to make sure everyone is drug free.

Dale Foerster, Vice-President at Starr Manufacturing, Inc., said, "Because we deal with heavy equipment and what is considered hazardous situations with tow motors and lots of heavy metal, literally, we can't afford to have anyone under the influence of anything in a position where they could not only hurt themselves, but somebody else."

Foerster admits it has been more difficult to find qualified people who can even pass a drug test, and says several former employees have had serious legal issues because of drug problems.

She applauds the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber's new drug testing component of the JobsNow Program because it's designed to help to defray the cost of drug testing for member businesses.

"Because if across the board, all of us are testing and persons can't get a job and can't keep a job if they're using substances, I think that will also help to deter people or encourage them to seek help," Foerster said.

Starr Manufacturing also has created an employee assistance program where an employee or an immediate family member can call confidentially about a drug problem or any other concern and get help or advice they need.  The program is free and is encouraged by the company, and if the program can not directly help them they will refer them to someone who can.

Steward Health Care. including their location at Austintown's Urgent Care, is partnering with the chamber to do the testing at no cost to the companies.

BJ Panchik, Regional Manager of Occupational Medicine at Urgent Care for Steward Health Care, said they do about 10,000 drug screens a year.

"The positive rate recently, I'm talking about the last couple of years, has risen and the drugs change for whatever people are positive for," Panchik said.

Among the illegal drugs people most often test positive for according to Panchik are heroin, methodone, cocaine and marijuana.

Now if someone tests positive for drugs, Panchik said they can test positive for a variety of reasons, for using drugs of abuse and/or they can be on a prescription drug.

"So if they test positive when they come in, their drug screen is sent to a forensic lab and tested by scientists, and then confirmed by a medical review officer which is a medical physican, a licensed physician, whether or not the drug screen is a positive drug screen or a negative," Panchik said.

The reason being many people are on prescription medications legitimately and still qualify for the job, so that's considered a drug screen that's negative with legal usage and they would still be eligible for the position.