Americans spend about $56.4 billion on illegal drugs annually.  70 percent of illegal drug users are employed.  35 percent of cocaine users sell to co-workers.  67 percent of people entering the workplace have used drugs, and 44 percent have used them within the past year.

Detecting drugs at work or school sites is difficult and time-consuming for people, but "for trained dogs, the job is a gameGǥ, says Nolin. He explains that dogs have about 24 square inches of olfactory receptors in the nose, upper palate, and tongue, while humans have only about 2 square inches. "Thats why dogs noses are 20,000 to 2,000,000 times more sensitive than humans noses,Gǥ he adds. "A dog can sniff out one unused .38-caliber bullet in a book bag concealed in a locker, or a gram of drugs sealed in three containers."

Nolins agency is licensed by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, and his narcotics dogs are certified by the National Narcotic Detector Dog Association. These dogs are trained to detect and indicate such diverse drugs as marijuana, cocaine, heroin, LSD, mescaline, peyote, amphetamines, and methadone. His explosive-trained dogs can locate black powder, smokeless powder, green-dot and red-dot powder, pyrodex, bullets, shotgun shells, handguns, and pipe bombs.

A dog can sniff out one unused .38-caliber bullet in a book bag concealed in a locker, or a gram of drugs sealed in three containers.

Nolin generally recommends an initial site survey, followed by irregularly scheduled unannounced visits. "Otherwise," he says, "everyone knows when to expect the next visit."

"Having dogs inspect the premises results in a safer, drug-free property," says Nolin "Its a simple, low-cost solution to a complex, potentially costly problem."