Alcohol & Substance Awareness Program - ASAP

Melissa Snider-Adler, MD, CCFP(AM), MRO(AAMRO), DABAM, FASAM

Dr. Melissa Snider-Adler is a nationally recognized physician and leading authority on addiction medicine and workplace substance use. She currently serves as the Chief Medical Review Officer at DriverCheck Inc. and maintains a busy addiction medicine practice in Oshawa, Ontario.

With over 20 years of experience in the field, Dr. Snider-Adler brings a wealth of clinical, regulatory, and workplace knowledge. She holds several prestigious designations, including Diplomate of the American Board of Addiction Medicine (DABAM), Certificate of Added Competence in Addiction Medicine from the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CCFP[AM]), and Fellow of the American Society of Addiction Medicine (FASAM).

Throughout her career, she has worked across diverse settings, from rural to suburban communities. She was instrumental in launching the Rapid Access Opioid Treatment Program in Durham Region and contributed significantly to the development of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario’s Methadone Maintenance Standards and Clinical Practice Guidelines.

Dr. Snider-Adler is widely regarded as a foremost expert in workplace impairment, substance use policy, and the management of cannabis—both recreational and medical—in the workplace. She is a published co-author of a peer-reviewed article and book chapter on cannabis for medical use and impairment.

She regularly advises employers and industry leaders across Canada on alcohol and drug policy, workplace testing programs, and employee safety. She serves as a Subject Matter Expert for the Construction Owners Association of Alberta (COAA) and Energy Safety Canada’s Canadian Model for Providing Safe Workplaces. She also served as a Technical Committee Member for CSA Z1008:21 – the National Standard of Canada for Management of Impairment in the Workplace.

As the architect of the Medical Cannabis Review Program at DriverCheck, Dr. Snider-Adler conducts comprehensive chart reviews, Independent Medical Evaluations (IMEs), and fitness-for-duty assessments, particularly in safety-sensitive industries.

A highly respected expert witness, she has provided testimony in numerous arbitration and court proceedings across sectors including railway, transportation, oil and gas, and mining. She has been formally recognized and qualified as an expert witness in multiple legal jurisdictions.

Dr. Snider-Adler is also a dedicated educator. She teaches medical students and family medicine residents at Queen’s University’s QBOL site and has helped shape addiction medicine education through her involvement in academic planning committees. Her communication style is engaging, clear, and highly practical, making her a frequent and in-demand speaker at conferences across North America and internationally. She has the gift of taking complex concepts and information and breaking it down into easily digestible and informative pieces.

Her passion for workplace education is evident in the development of the Alcohol and Substance Awareness Program (ASAP)—a groundbreaking platform offering engaging, relevant, and accessible education for employees and employers. Designed to reduce stigma, improve safety, and foster a culture of awareness, ASAP is reshaping how workplaces approach substance use.

Dr. Snider-Adler’s unparalleled blend of clinical insight, regulatory expertise, and commitment to education continues to position her as one of North America’s most trusted voices in addiction medicine and workplace substance use.