Is Klonipin a banned drug for CDL?

dibstr · May 28, 2020

Br.549 said: ↑

In a short answer, yes. I had a medical card from my private doc with the prescribing doc writing me off saying it’s safe to drive, but when I got down to the CDL Academy, the company I am potentially going send their own ME out to do their own physical. He denied my medical card due to taking Klonpin because it’s in the benzo family, and banned per the FCMSA MEP Panel. Here is a quote from If You Take These Medications, You Might Not Get A CDL

“
A 2009 FMCSA Medical report states:

It is the opinion of the MEP that all individuals with a history of the following psychiatric disorders should undergo additional medical and psychiatric evaluation to further assess functional ability before being considered qualified to drive a CMV:

Psychotic Disorders

Bipolar Disorders

Major Depressive Disorder with a history of psychosis, suicidal ideation, homicidal ideation or a suicide attempt

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Antisocial Personality Disorder

The MEP believes that all individuals currently taking benzodiazepines or similar drugs which act on benzodiazepine receptors should be immediately prohibited from driving a CMV.

Individuals who take benzodiazepines for any length of time should not be allowed to drive until the drug has been cleared from their system (i.e., within seven half-lives of the drug and any active metabolites). Chronic users of benzodiazepines (i.e., regular use for more than a month) should also wait an additional week after the drug has cleared from their system before resuming driving to ensure that the drug has been completely eliminated. It is also suggested that FMCSA provide information regarding the half-life and seven half-lives of benzodiazepines and active metabolites to medical examiners for use at the time of examination.

Given the functional impairments and increased crash risk associated with benzodiazepine use, the MEP believes that:

individuals currently taking benzodiazepines not be allowed to drive a CMV

individuals who are taking benzodiazepines should stop taking them long enough ahead of driving for them to be cleared from their systems before being allowed to drive a CMV (it takes seven half lives for a drug to be completely eliminated from the body)

chronic users of benzodiazepines should wait an additional week after the drug has been cleared from the body (i.e., seven half lives plus one week) before driving a CMV to ensure that it has been completely eliminated.

The MEP is of the opinion that all individuals currently taking lithium be excluded from driving a CMV at night.”
Click to expand...

This is an opinion by the Medical Experts Panel. It is not regulation, it’s an opinion. Opinions by the MEP are not regs or enforceable until they go through the regulatory process. Read what Moose 1958 posted.

Log in or Sign up

Forums

Find Trucking Jobs

Is Klonipin a banned drug for CDL?

dibstr Road Train Member

Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

Wait, employers can't reach you!

Log in or Sign up

Useful Searches

Find Trucking Jobs

Is Klonipin a banned drug for CDL?

dibstr Road Train Member

Wait, employers can't reach you!