An Analysis of Worker Drug Use and Workplace Policies and Programs

7.1 Summary of Findings

Data from the1994 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA) demonstrate several important points about the distribution of current illicit drug use and heavy alcohol use among those age 18-49 in the United States. First, although we observe higher rates of use among the unemployed than among those who worked full-time, the majority of users—69.3 percent of current illicit drug users and about 77.4 percent of heavy alcohol users—were employed full-time. Second, even though, among those employed full-time, relatively high rates of current illicit drug use and heavy alcohol use were found among younger workers and those who were in the lowest personal income group (less than $9,000 per year), a majority of those reporting use were in the older age and higher income groups. Current illicit drug use was also relatively more common among workers employed in smaller establishments (1-24 employees) than among those employed in larger size establishments (25-499 or 500 or more employees), and it was more common in several occupations that were made up primarily of younger workers (e.g., food and beverage service) and male workers (e.g., construction). [ As reported in Chapter 4, the average age among full-time workers, age 18-49, in the NHSDA was 34.7. However, the average age among workers in food service, waitstaff, and bartending occupations was 30.2. Overall, while 58.9 percent of full-time workers, age 18-49, were male, 98.5 percent of construction workers were male.] Third, current illicit drug use and heavy alcohol use were associated with a number of work-related outcomes such as higher job turnover, a greater number of unexcused absences, and an increased likelihood of being fired in the previous year. Thus it is clear that policies designed to prevent drug use among the employed population should target not only those groups with relatively high rates of use, but also groups where large numbers of users are found.

Data on the policies and programs that are targeted at drug and alcohol use among workers indicate substantial variation in the availability of information, written policies, and employee assistance programs (EAPs) that address drug and alcohol use. Persons employed in smaller establishments were less likely than those employed in larger establishments to report that their workplace provided information or had written policies and EAPs. Furthermore, those who reported current illicit drug use and were employed in small establishments were less likely than non-users employed in small establishments to say that their company provided information or had written policies that addressed drug and alcohol use, or that their company provided access to EAPs for employees with drug or alcohol problems. What is not clear, however, is the extent to which these data reflect the actual existence of such policies and programs, or merely workers’ awareness of them. Considering that a majority of current illicit drug users (56.6%) who were employed full-time worked in these smaller establishments, it is important in either case to develop a system that will extend the provision and visibility of information and programs designed to prevent and treat worker drug use problems to smaller establishments.

Finally, the results indicate substantial variation in the distribution of workplace drug testing programs. More than a third of full-time workers, age 18-49, reported that their workplace tests employees for drug or alcohol use at hiring, while 20 percent or more reported that their workplace tests employees for drug use randomly, upon reasonable suspicion of a supervisor, or following a work-related accident. Once again, though, establishment size was associated with programs that target drug and alcohol use: workers employed in small establishments (1-24 employees) were less likely than those employed in large establishments to report workplace drug testing programs. Moreover, workers reporting current illicit drug use were less likely than those reporting no current illicit drug use to indicate the existence of any drug testing program, at-hiring testing programs, or random testing programs. Workersreporting current illicit drug use were also less likely than those reporting no use to say they would work for an employer who tests employees for drug use under these various circumstances. The implication is that drug testing may be an effective deterrent of worker drug use, but before any more conclusions about the impact of these programs can be made, information beyond what is available in the NHSDA would be needed.

This page was last updated on June 03, 2008.

SAMHSA, an agency in the Department of Health and Human Services, is the Federal Government's lead agency for improving the quality and availability of substance abuse prevention, addiction treatment, and mental health services in the United States.