Most Illicit Drug Users and Heavy Alcohol Users
Are in the Workplace and May Pose Special Problems

PRESS RELEASE
SAMHSA / Department of Health and Human Services 16jul2007

Most of the nation’s approximately 16.4 million current illicit drug users and approximately 15 million heavy alcohol users hold full-time jobs, according to a new study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

The study, Worker Substance Use and Workplace Policies and Programs, shows that substance use can pose significant risks to workers’ health and productivity. The report also says that workers who use illicit drugs are less likely than nonusers to be employed by companies that have drug or alcohol testing policies and programs.

"Substance abuse is a serious problem for the health, wellbeing and productivity of everyone in the workplace," said SAMHSA Administrator Terry Cline, Ph.D. "One important way SAMHSA is addressing this public health risk is with 1-800-Workplace (1-800-967-5752), a helpline for employees and businesses dealing with problems related to substance abuse. The helpline provides advice on programs that can make a dramatic difference to everyone in the workplace – programs such as substance abuse policy development, supervisor and employee substance abuse education, employee assistance, and drug testing."

Director of National Drug Control Policy John Walters said, "Employees who use drugs miss work more often, are less healthy, and are more prone to harming themselves and others in the workplace. We hope that employers will take note of this report and consider implementing workplace drug testing policies that can help prevent drug use before it starts, help identify drug-using employees who need drug treatment services and also reduce employers’ liability from drug-related workplace accidents."

The report says the highest rates of current illicit drug use were among food service workers (17.4 percent) and construction workers (15.1 percent). Highest rates of current heavy alcohol use were found among construction, mining, excavation and drilling workers (17.8 percent), and installation, maintenance, and repair workers (14.7 percent).

Illicit drug use and heavy alcohol use are associated with higher levels of absenteeism and frequent job changes, the report said. For example, nearly twice as many current illicit drug users skipped one or more days of work in the past month compared with workers who did not abuse drugs. Drug users were also far more likely to report missing two or more work days in the past month due to illness or injury compared with workers who did not abuse drugs.

"The high rates of drug and alcohol use in hazardous industries is cause for concern," said Elena Carr, drug policy coordinator at the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). "Clearly businesses can ill-afford the risk of having workers operating meat slicers, backhoes, or other dangerous equipment while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, which is one reason why DOL helps employers and employees work together to proactively prevent such safety hazards."

Substance users also had far higher job turnover rates. Among full-time workers who reported current illicit drug use, 12.3 percent said they had worked for three or more employers in the past year, compared with 5.1 percent of non-abusing workers.

Another major finding was that current drug users were more likely to work for employers who did not conduct drug or alcohol testing programs. Nearly a third of current illicit drug users said they would be less likely to work for employers who conducted random drug testing.

Overall, approximately 30 percent of the full-time work force reported that random drug testing took place in their current employment setting. Workers in the transportation and material-moving (62.9 percent) and protective services (61.8 percent) occupational categories were the most likely to report working for employers who conducted random testing. Workers in legal occupations and arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupational categories (10 percent) were the least likely to report working for employers who tested for illicit drug or alcohol use on a random basis.

According to the study, unemployed people had higher percentages of current illicit drug use and heavy alcohol use than those with full-time, part-time or other employment statuses. But because full-time workers constitute about two thirds of the 18-64-year-old population, the actual number of those using drugs was higher among the full-time workers.

The study is based on data collected during 2002, 2003, and 2004 from a nationally representative sample of 128,000 persons, ages 18 to 64, who participated in SAMHSA’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Illicit drug use is defined in the survey as use of marijuana/hashish, cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens, or inhalants, or prescription psychotherapeutics used non-medicinally. Current heavy alcohol use was defined as drinking five or more drinks on the same occasion on five or more days in the past 30 days. The survey also identified whether respondents had a substance use disorder, meaning drug or alcohol dependence or abuse, based on standard diagnostic criteria.

The study showed that an annual average of approximately 9.4 million current illicit drug users, (including 7.3 million current marijuana users) and 10.1 million heavy alcohol users were employed full-time in 2002-2004. Among full-time workers using these substances, 3 million met criteria for illicit drug dependence or abuse, and 10.5 million were dependent on or abused alcohol.

The full report is available at http://oas.samhsa.gov/work2k7/toc.cfm . Copies of the full report are available for free from SAMHSA’s Health Information Network at 1-877-SAMHSA-7 (1-877-726-4727). Request inventory number SMA -07-4273. For related publications and information, visit http://www.samhsa.gov

Related SAMHSA link http://www.workplace.samhsa.gov/ is SAMHSA’s Division of Workplace Programs, which offers information on 1-800-Workplace and how to set up Drug-Free Workplace Programs for Federal agencies as well as private industry.

Related DOL link http://www.dol.gov/workingpartners is DOL’s Working Partners for an Alcohol- and Drug-Free Workplace Web site, which provides tools and resources to help employers and employees work together to develop drug-free workplace programs that protect worker safety and health.

SAMHSA is a public health agency within the Department of Health and Human Services. The agency is responsible for improving the accountability, capacity and effectiveness of the nation's substance abuse prevention, addictions treatment, and mental health services delivery system.

source: 16jul2007

Worker Substance Use and
Workplace Policies and Programs

Sharon L. Larson, Joe Eyerman, Misty S. Foster, Joseph C. Gfroerer

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Office of Applied Studies

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.

Highlights

This report presents findings on substance use among workers and on workplace drug policy and programs from the 2002, 2003, and 2004 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (NSDUHs). NSDUH is an annual survey of the civilian, noninstitutionalized population of the United States aged 12 years or older. The survey is sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) to provide data on substance use and related issues among the U.S. population.

NSDUH collects information on employment status, type of business, specific occupations and industries, and information on drug-testing policies and programs from U.S. workers. This report analyzes the worker information in conjunction with the substance use data collected in the survey to investigate substance use among full-time employed U.S. workers aged 18 to 64 during the period 2002 to 2004.

Substance Use among Workers, by Demographic and Geographic Characteristics

• The prevalences of substance use behaviors and substance use disorders are higher among unemployed persons than among full-time workers, part-time workers, and those with other employment status. However, because full-time workers constitute about two thirds of the population aged 18 to 64 (or 114.7 million persons), most substance users and most of those with substance use disorders are employed full time.
  
  
• The prevalence of past month illicit drug use among full-time workers aged 18 to 64 was estimated to be 8.2 percent in 2002, 2003, and 2004. Nearly one out of five (19.0 percent) workers aged 18 to 25 used illicit drugs during the past month. This was a higher percentage than among the 26-to-34 (10.3 percent), 35-to-49 (7.0 percent), and 50-to-64 (2.6 percent) age groups.
  
  
• Males were more likely than females to report past month illicit drug use (9.7 vs. 6.2 percent). Males accounted for about two thirds (6.4 million) of the workers who reported past month illicit drug use.
  
  
• Workers with a college education had a lower prevalence of past month illicit drug use compared with those without a college education. The prevalence of past month use of illicit drugs was lower among those with higher levels of education than those with less education (college graduate [5.7 percent] vs. less than high school [11.2 percent]).
  
  
• The prevalence of past month illicit drug use was lower among workers with higher family incomes than among workers with lower family incomes. An estimated 13.2 percent of workers who reported family income that was less than $20,000 had used illicit drugs during the past month. In contrast, 6.0 percent of workers who reported income in the highest category––$75,000 or more––had used illicit drugs during the past month.
  
  
• An estimated 8.8 percent, or 10.1 million, of full-time workers reported past month heavy alcohol use. Among younger workers (18 to 25 years old), 16.3 percent reported past month heavy alcohol use compared with 10.4 percent of 26- to 34-year-olds, 8.1 percent of 35- to 49-year-olds, and 4.7 percent of 50- to 64-year-olds.
  

Substance Use among Workers, by Occupation, Industry, and Establishment Size

• Of the major occupational groups, food service workers (17.4 percent) and construction workers (15.1 percent) exhibited a higher prevalence of past month illicit drug use than other occupational groups. Those working in education, training, and library occupations (4.1 percent), community and social services occupations (4.0 percent), and protective service occupations (3.4 percent) had the lowest prevalence of past month illicit drug use among the major occupational groups.
  
  
• The major occupational groups with the highest prevalence of past month heavy alcohol use were construction and extraction occupations (17.8 percent) and installation, maintenance, and repair occupations (14.7 percent). Community and social services occupations (2.8 percent) had the lowest prevalence of past month heavy alcohol use of the major occupations.
  
  
• The major industry groups with the highest prevalence of past month illicit drug use were accommodations and food services (16.9 percent) and construction (13.7 percent). Public administration (4.1 percent), educational services (4.0 percent), and utilities (3.8 percent) had the lowest prevalence of past month illicit drug use.
  
  
• The industry groups with the highest prevalence of past month heavy alcohol use were construction (15.9 percent); arts, entertainment, and recreation (13.6 percent); and mining (13.3 percent) industries. However, health care and social assistance (4.3 percent) and educational services (4.0 percent) had the lowest prevalence of past month heavy alcohol use compared with the other major industries.
  
  
• Prevalence of past month illicit drug use was lower as establishment size increased. The prevalence among workers in establishments with 25 to 99 employees was 8.2 percent, compared with 6.7 percent among workers in establishments with 100 to 499 employees and 5.7 percent among workers in establishments with 500 or more employees. A similar pattern was found for past month heavy alcohol use.
  

Workplace Information Policies and Programs concerning Drug and Alcohol Use

• Among the nearly 115 million full-time workers aged 18 to 64 years in the United States, 47.7 million (43.8 percent) reported that they had access to educational information about drug and alcohol use in the workplace, 87.0 million (78.7 percent) reported that they were aware of a written policy about drug and alcohol use in the workplace, and 60.9 million (58.4 percent) reported that their employer offered an employee assistance program (EAP).
  
  
• The youngest adult workers were least likely to report access to educational information about drug and alcohol use in the workplace. Among 18- to 25-year-old workers, 33.2 percent reported that they had educational information available. This was significantly lower than among workers aged 26 to 34 years (39.6 percent), 35 to 49 years (46.3 percent), and 50 to 64 years (48.9 percent). Young adult workers between the ages of 18 and 25 were significantly less likely to report EAPs available in the workplace compared with all other age groups (39.7 vs. 56.4 to 62.6 percent).
  
  
• Nearly 3 million (32.1 percent) full-time workers between the ages of 18 and 64 who had used an illicit drug in the past month reported that they worked for an employer who offered educational information about alcohol and drug use. An EAP was reported available to 3.9 million (45.4 percent) workers who were past month users of an illicit drug, while 6.5 million (71.0 percent) reported working for employers who had a written policy about drug and alcohol use.
  
  
• Generally, past month illicit drug users were less likely to report working for employers who offered workplace drug or alcohol programs or policies, compared with those who did not use an illicit drug in the past month. An estimated 45.4 percent of past month illicit drug users reported that there was an EAP at their place of employment compared with 59.6 percent of workers who had not used an illicit drug in the past month.
  

Workplace Testing

• Among the Nation's full-time workers, 42.9 percent reported that tests for illicit drug or alcohol use occurred at their place of employment during the hiring process, or "prehire" testing. This equates to more than 47 million adults who worked in settings where testing for illicit drug or alcohol use occurred during the hiring process.
  
• The youngest and oldest adult workers (18 to 25 and 50 to 64 years) were less likely to report working for employers with prehire drug testing than workers aged 26 to 49 years. An estimated 40.8 percent of 50- to 64-year-olds and 39.0 percent of 18- to 25-year-olds reported prehire testing, compared with 44.3 percent of workers aged 26 to 34 years and 44.7 percent of workers aged 35 to 49 years.
  
  
• For each age group, past month illicit drug users were less likely than nonusers to report working for employers who conducted prehire drug or alcohol tests (29.4 vs. 41.3 percent of 18- to 25-year-olds, 32.0 vs. 45.8 percent of 26- to 34-year-olds, 34.2 vs. 45.5 percent of 35- to 49-year-olds, and 31.3 vs. 41.0 percent of 50- to 64-year-olds).
  
  
• A total of 29.6 percent, or 32 million, of full-time workers in the United States reported random drug testing in their current employment setting during the study period. The youngest workers (18 to 25 years) were less likely than all other age groups to report working for an employer who conducted random drug testing (27.3 vs. 29.6 percent of 26- to 34-year-olds, 30.6 percent of 35- to 49-year-olds, and 29.1 percent of 50- to 64-year-olds).
  
  
• Past month illicit drug users were less likely to report working for employers who conducted random drug or alcohol tests than were nondrug users. For 18- to 25-year-olds, 19.7 percent of illicit drug users reported that they worked in a random-testing environment compared with 29.1 percent of nonusers. The relationship was consistent for all age groups: 20.0 versus 30.8 percent of 26- to 34-year-olds, 22.6 versus 31.2 percent of 35- to 49-year-olds, and 20.4 versus 29.3 percent of 50- to 64-year-olds.
  
  

Workplace Behaviors and Attitudes toward Drug Testing

• Among full-time workers who reported past month illicit drug use, 12.3 percent reported working for three or more employers in the past year, compared with 5.1 percent of workers without past month drug use. They also were more likely to report missing 2 or more workdays in the past month due to illness or injury when compared with workers without past month use (16.4 vs. 11.0 percent). Finally, 16.3 percent of workers who used illicit drugs in the past month reported skipping 1 or more days of work in the past month (vs. 8.2 percent of workers who did not use an illicit drug during the past month).
  
  
• Among full-time workers in the United States, 52.5 million (46.0 percent) workers indicated that they would be more likely to work for an employer who tests before hiring, and an additional 56.2 million (49.1 percent) workers reported that prehire testing would not influence their decision to work for an employer. Only 5.6 million (4.9 percent) workers indicated that they would be less likely to work for an employer who conducts prehire drug testing.
  
  
• More than half of U.S. workers reported that it would make no difference to them if an employer tests employees randomly after hire for drug or alcohol use. An estimated 45.5 million (39.8 percent) workers reported that they would be more likely to work for such an employer, while 10.0 million (8.7 percent) workers reported that they would be less likely to work for an employer who tests randomly for drug or alcohol use. An estimated 58.8 million (51.4 percent) workers indicated that random testing would not influence their decision to work for an employer.
  
  
• An estimated 29.1 percent of workers with past month illicit drug use reported that they would be less likely to work for employers who conduct drug testing randomly, while only 6.9 percent of workers who did not report past month illicit drug use selected this response category. This relationship was consistent in the multivariate models while controlling for age, gender, race/ethnicity, educational attainment, family income, region, and county type (metropolitan statistical area).