Book excerpt: The drug free workplace initiative was started in 1986 by President Ronald Reagan when he issued an executive order to develop guidelines for drug abuse testing for Federal Government employees. Since then, most state, government, and private employers have adopted the policy of a drug free workplace. Today, pre-employment drug testing is almost mandatory and passing the drug test is a condition for hire. A Health Educator's Guide to Understanding Drug Abuse Testing describes in layman’s language the process of testing for drugs and provides coverage of what potential employees are being tested for, how the tests are performed, and what foods and drugs may affect the test results and may jeopardize a person's chance of being hired. Written by a practicing toxicologist, this text gives health educators a solid foundation in the process of drug testing and helps them understand how different methods of cheating drug tests are rendered ineffectual.