Abbott - WorkDrugSafe Website| Knowledge & Insights Blog | March 1, 2021

Substance abuse, especially marijuana and prescription drugs, is increasing to epidemic levels. So why are fewer and fewer employers conducting pre-employment drug testing? Quite simply, they fail to properly recognize the benefits.

According to a recent study, only 57% of employers conduct pre-employment drug testing of all job candidates, while 29% conduct no drug testing on applicants. However, the benefits of pre-employment drug testing are just as applicable today as they have always been. In fact, with the...

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA’s) substance use prevention campaign helps parents and caregivers start talking to their children early about the dangers of alcohol and other drugs.

Since most parents work, this is a perfect in-house campaign resource for companies to educate their parent workers on talking to their children about not using alcohol and drugs. This campaign is complementary to existing drug-free workplace programs and provides them with enhanced content and guidance on having important conversations with their children, ever important...

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and specifically, the National Mental Health and Substance Use Policy Laboratory, is pleased to fulfill the charge of the 21st Century Cures Act to disseminate information on evidence-based practices (EBPs) and service delivery models to prevent substance misuse and help individuals with substance use disorders (SUD), serious mental illnesses (SMI), and serious emotional disturbances (SED) get the treatment and support that they need.

An important focus for SAMHSA is supporting sustained recovery from SUD through the...

The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Prescription Drug Toolkit and Fact Sheets from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provides guidance related to counseling, referrals, and follow-up services that EAPs can offer employees whose substance misuse has affected their workplace environment. 

The Toolkit also shares insight for employers about preventing substance misuse and maintaining professional standards. These materials describe the ways in which EAPs provide alternatives to prescription drugs, workplace drug misuse and relapse prevention, information...

Science proves that being warm, loving, and responsive are some of the most important actions parents can take to help their children’s development. Physical affection has actual health and developmental benefits that last throughout their childhood and adulthood.

Working parents that are deeply connected with their children through affection and active listening, for example, are better able to deliver a prevention message of avoiding drug and alcohol use.

THE SCIENCE OF CARE
www.unodc.org/listenfirst
Listen First, a UNODC initiative to support happy,healthy and nurturing families. 

Drug and Alcohol Research Connections | August 2018 | Professor Ann Roche, Ms. Victoria Kostadinov, and Associate Professor Ken Pidd, The National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction (Australia)

AOD-related stigma is often present in a variety of settings and contexts, including the workplace. It is, however, not always recognised or even well understood. Despite this, AOD-related stigma at work is ubiquitous, disproportionate, and profoundly harmful on many levels. Its effects range from overt discrimination in hiring practices to marginalisation and exclusion from full...

Knowing what to do when encountering an employee with a suspected substance use issue can be confusing and perhaps even shocking.  Knowing the signs and symptoms of substance use, the explicit requirements of the company’s drug-free workplace policy, the company’s procedures to attend to the behavioral concerns, and the resources available to help the employee are key to confidently handling the situation.

Learn about one organization’s perspective here

According to the 2021 World Drug Report, approximately 275 million people used drugs worldwide in the last year, while over 36 million people suffered from drug use disorders. Globally, only 1 in 7 people receive the treatment they need.

In the United States alone, the estimated cost of drug abuse, including illegal drugs, alcohol, and tobacco—is more than $740 billion a year and growing, according to data reported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

 Of this figure, more than $120 billion per year in lost productivity, according to The National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC). ...

View an excellent presentation on the impacts of marijuana on the workplace by Jo McGuire, Executive Director of the National Drug and Alcohol Screening Association (NDASA) and President/CEO of Five Minutes of Courage. 

View the presentation here

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) released the video “Addressing Opioid Overdose Deaths in the Workplace” describing the use of naloxone in the workplace to counteract opioid overdoses.

Workplace conditions that may lead to opioid prescription use include unsafe working conditions that can lead to injuries like slips, trips, and falls; heavy workloads; job insecurity; job loss; and demanding, low-control jobs, according to the NIOSH video. The video explains that naloxone may counter the effects of an opioid overdose but that more than one dose may be needed...

Most employers strive to provide a safe and healthy work environment as well as encourage their employees to have healthy lifestyles.  They consider the use of drugs and alcohol on the job to be an unsafe counter‑productive work practice and a serious threat to all of their workers and the public. In consideration of this, most employers prohibit the use, of illegal drugs and alcohol at work.

While drug testing can indicate the presence of a drug, it does not indicate the level of impairment. Additionally, there are many impairing substances, such as designer drugs, or inhalants, that aren...

Prescription opioid medications intended for pain management and prescription benzodiazepines for conditions such as anxiety or insomnia, when used alone or together, often have side effects that can affect workers’ health and safety. In addition, some occupational factors, such as work-related motor vehicle crashes, falls, other injuries and job stress, have the potential to increase the chances that a worker is given a prescription for an opioid or benzodiazepine [Kowalski-McGraw et al. 2017].
 

The [U.S.] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has developed resources for...

On the occasion of this year’s recent World Drug Day that was themed “Share Facts On Drugs. Save Lives.”, we are reminded that workers who are parents, grandparents, or other caregivers to children can positively enhance their own career and personal workplace experience through positive parenting at home. Employers who acknowledge and support the parental role can enrich the working environment and boost employee morale benefitting everyone.

Miwa  Kato, Director of the Operations Division at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) shared some thoughts on the significance of...

From the the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

The effects of opioid use and misuse are not isolated to work or home environments, and the potential for opioid use disorder may be preceded by injuries that happen in the workplace, with the consequences affecting both an individual’s working life as well as their home life.

By using Total Worker Health principles, NIOSH is developing solutions to help workers and employers facing this crisis in their communities. Learn about the specific steps NIOSH is taking to...

Quest Diagnostics Employer Solutions Blog - February 2021

Most people’s experience with a drug test comes from the interview process for a new job which is what we call a pre-employment drug test. It is the most common reason for testing and helps employers screen applicants to safeguard the organization from the negative impacts of hiring employees who use drugs. However, employers committed to safety and a drug-free workplace should consider incorporating strategies that monitor drug use beyond pre-employment drug testing.

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Acknowledging the reality of opioid misuse in the workplace is a productive step for any business, and a benefit to every community. With the help of Operation Prevention, employers now have the opportunity to empower their staff and strengthen their organization with simple, no-cost workplace resources that give clarity to the opioid epidemic, including perspectives on science, health, society, and the legal system. Become a leader who inspires personal progress and productivity with versatile learning resources that stress the importance of prevention.

Access the Workplace Resource...

The coronavirus pandemic shook up the U.S. employment picture last year, but one trend persisted: a rising share of workers who test positive for marijuana.

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Substance use disorders represent a pressing issue for employers and workers around the world. According to data from the U.S. 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, approximately 70% of all adults with an alcohol or illicit drug use disorder are employed. Nearly 9% of all employed adults (approximately 13.6 million workers) have current alcohol or illicit drug use disorders, while a relatively equal number (approximately 13.4 million workers) report that they are in recovery or have recovered from a substance use problem. 

Workplaces are a critical point of contact for people...