8-K

                                    FORM 8-K


                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION


                             Washington, D.C. 20549



                                 CURRENT REPORT


                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934


       Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): December 5, 2000



                             MEDTOX SCIENTIFIC, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


                                    Delaware
                 (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)


1-11394                                                   95-3863205
(Commission File Number)                     (IRS Employer Identification No.)


402 West County Road D
St. Paul, Minnesota                                                  55112
(Address of principal executive offices)                           (Zip Code)


                                 (651) 636-7466
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)









Item 9.           Regulation F-D Disclosure

         On December 5, 2000, the Company announced that it will take a $500,000
charge  against  earnings in the quarter ended December 31, 2000 as described in
the press release attached at Exhibit 99.1.




                                   SIGNATURES


Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


                                              MEDTOX Scientific, Inc.




Date:  December 5, 2000                       By:  /s/ Richard J. Braun
                                              --------------------------
                                              Name:  Richard J. Braun
                                              Title:    Chief Executive Officer

EX-99.1

                                                                Exhibit 99.1

DATE: December 5, 2000

FROM:                                             FOR:
Padilla Speer Beardsley Inc.                      MEDTOX Scientific, Inc.
224 Franklin Avenue West                          402 West County Road D
Minneapolis, MN  55404                            St. Paul, MN  55112

John Mackay (612) 871-8877                        James Lockhart (651) 286-6225

                              FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

   MEDTOX SCIENTIFIC TO TAKE $500,000 CHARGE AGAINST FOURTH-QUARTER EARNINGS

o   Reflects Reserve Against Bankruptcy Filing by Two Large Customers
o   Medtox Comfortable With Operating Earnings Estimate of $4.1 million in 2001

ST. PAUL,  December 5 - MEDTOX Scientific,  Inc. (AMEX-TOX) today announced that
it will take a $500,000  charge  against  earnings in the quarter ended December
31, 2000.  The reserve is for potential  losses  attributable  to the Chapter 11
bankruptcy  filings  reported  earlier  in 2000 by both  Safety-Kleen  Corp  and
Southern  Medical  Arts  Companies.  Neither  company  has  filed  its  Plan  of
Reorganization  at this time.  This charge will more then likely  eliminate  any
potential profits for the fourth quarter.

         Richard Braun the company's CEO said "The company's  receivables remain
solid with the days sales  outstanding  ("DSO") on gross revenues still below 60
days  even  including  the  receivables  from  these  two  customers,  which  is
consistent  with the DSO for the  previous  two  years.  At the same  time,  the
company's bad debt expense  (including the charge for these two  receivables) is
still less the 2% of gross sales,  which is also consistent with prior periods."
Both these metrics are well below those reported by other national  laboratories
in their public filings.

         Braun also noted that "The company does not  anticipate  these  charges
negatively  affecting  revenues and earnings in 2001.  In fact,  both  customers
remain as clients,  and subsequent to bankruptcy  filings,  are current on their
obligations  to the  company.  We  continue  to be  very  comfortable  with  the
operating  earnings  estimate  of $4.1  million  that has been  reported  by the
analysts for calendar 2001."



         MEDTOX  Scientific,  Inc.,  headquartered  in  St.  Paul,  Minn.,  is a
provider of high quality laboratory and on-site/  point-of-care testing devices.
The company also supports  customers with complete  logistics,  data and program
management  services.  MEDTOX develops and manufactures  diagnostic  devices for
quick  and  economical  on-site/  point-of-care  analysis  for  drugs of  abuse,
therapeutic drugs and agricultural toxins and provides employment drug screening
and occupational  health testing.  MEDTOX is also a leader in providing esoteric
toxicology  services  to  hospitals  and  laboratories   nationwide.   For  more
information see http//www.medtox.com.

Note:  Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made under
the Private  Securities  Reform Act of 1995.  Actual results may differ due to a
number  of  factors  including  a change  in the  employment  pattern  of client
companies,  the  ability of MEDTOX to acquire new  business,  and changes in the
competitive  environment.  A fuller  discussion  of factors  that may cause such
results to differ are  identified  on page three of the  Company's  1999  annual
report on Form 10-K and incorporated herein by reference.

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