NATION IN BRIEF : WASHINGTON, D.C. : Court Ruling Perils Federal Drug Tests

A federal program to test government workers suspected of off-duty drug use was put in jeopardy by a court decision that struck down similar checks of Agriculture Department employees. The ruling by a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit said “the government has not produced evidence that might establish a relationship between off-the-job drug use and government efficiency . . . “ The ruling is the first by a federal appellate court on the government’s use of drug tests. The court ruled also, in a case involving White House employees, that government officials with access to secret information may be subject to random drug testing along with officials with top secret clearances.