The Problem with Drug Use in The Workplace

 

As legislation surrounding drug use in the United States has become more lenient, employment drug testing laws are becoming more important than ever. Although only five states have legal drug testing policies, over 500 new bills on the topic have been introduced in the past year. Coming off of many states legalizing marijuana use both recreationally and medically, it is more important now than ever to keep workers in vulnerable industries safe.

Research has shown that recreational marijuana laws are associated with a 10% increase in workplace injuries for individuals ages 20-34. This fact alone has led many leaders to crack down on drug use amongst their staff, testing due to reasonable suspicion, after a return to duty, or even randomly. In addition, anti-cheating policies have been put in place in several states to discourage the tampering of tests. Vulnerable and sometimes dangerous industries like energy utilities, manufacturing and construction are currently leading the charge in testing, setting the tone for the future of drug use in the workplace.

 

Source: USDrugTestCenters.com