Forensic Science Blog

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• Peter Cholakis says:
  July 18th, 2007 at 4:04 pm

  Yes. Drug abuse is as bad, if not worse than ever.
  July 16, 2007 - Workplace Drug Abuse / 2007 SAMHSA Report
  Source: Larson, S. L., Eyerman, J., Foster, M. S., & Gfroerer, J. C. (2007). Worker Substance Use and Workplace Policies and Programs (DHHS Publication No. SMA 07-4273, Analytic Series A-29). Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Office of Applied Studies. 1

  Drug Abuse by Age Group (reported illegal drugs during the past month)
  • 19% workers aged 18 to 25
  • 10% percent among those aged 26 to 34
  • 7% percent among those aged 35 to 49
  Abuse Rates by Industry
  Highest
  • 17% Accommodations & Food Service
  • 14 % Construction
  Lowest
  • 4 % Education (Teachers and Social Services)
  • 4% Utilities
  Alcohol Abuse
  • 8.8% heavy alcohol use2
  Benefits of Random Drug Testing
  • Illicit drug users were approximately 40% less likely to report working for employers who conducted random drug or alcohol tests than were non-drug users.

• jason says:
  March 6th, 2008 at 2:27 pm

  Interesting enough a lot of people are users or have used marijuana, just about in every employment position all the way up to our presidents. I think for this type of drug if it’s not affecting a persons work and they are not under the influence of it at work then it should not be reason to fire someone just like smoking and drinking outside of work aren’t looked at. If cigarettes and tobacco which are known to kill hundreds each year aren’t grounds to fire someone then smoking weed which hasn’t caused a death shouldn’t be used against someone who is doing their work. Other hard drugs such as cocaine heroin are pretty bad with a lot of people ending up in drug rehab these are drugs to watch use for and act accordingly.

• Dave Khey says:
  March 6th, 2008 at 2:58 pm

  Actually, Jason, some major employers are beginning to regulate tobacco in the same manner. Some have instituted testing for nicotine - and if employees keep testing positive, it is grounds for dismissal (citing increased rates for insurance for the rest of the company, etc.).

  As much as marijuana seems to be more acceptable than cocaine or heroin, and other “hard” drugs, research has shown that chronic use does lead to loss of productivity and loss of coordination (particularly with complex tasks like flying a plane…even when your blood THC levels are near zilch for some time after it has reached that level). Perhaps a better argument would be to compare marijuana to alcohol use and the loss of productivity associated with it.

  But the long short of all of this - use of any substance in excess will affect one’s work almost with perfect correlation (even coffee). Substances with more addiction potential and more potent effects will most likely affect one’s work more. The trick is where to draw the line. Marijuana, regardless of the politics, does have potent effects on the human body and can cause impairment at work (especially if used chronically and especially if the job includes complex tasks).

  I do not know if this will be settled any time in the future…
  Dave

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