High Times in the Workplace

High Times in the Workplace Substance abuse in the workplace is an issue with far-reaching effects across America that can drive up employer costs, and increase occupational hazards in many industries. While results of recent studies appear to be showing a decline in the overall drug use of American workers, the use of harder drugs such as heroin and prescription painkillers in the workplace is growing rapidly (Fisher, 2011). As employees everywhere are faced with this dilemma, many are looking at ways to address, prevent, and reduce its impact on operations and employee productivity.
Positivity Results of Workplace Drug Tests It has been shown that over the last 25 years, drug use among American workers has steadily declined. The Quest Diagnostics Drug Testing Index analysis examined over 125 million urine drug tests as a service for government and private employers from 1988 to 2012. This examined the positivity rates for employers across the United States workforce in both the public and private sector. Since 1988, the positivity rate for the combined U.S. Workforce declined 74% from 13.6% in 1988 to 3.5% in 2012. This result is encouraging for employers; however, the study also revealed some findings that are cause for concern. The positivity rates for amphetamines and methamphetamines have more than tripled over the last decade. As of 2012, this was at its highest level since 1997. Also concerning is that the positivity rates for prescription opiates have increased over the last decade. This can be correlated to rising prescription trends nationally (“Drug Use Among American Workers declined 75% Over Past 25 years”, 2013). These positivity rates should be a call to employers that they must be cognizant of prescription drug abuse as well as illicit drug use among their employees, as both can pose many