NCJ Number
113772
Journal
Personnel Volume: 65 Issue: 7 Dated: (July 1988) Pages: 54-58
Date Published
1988
Length
5 pages
Annotation
In 1987, 3,000 persons anonymously completed a questionnaire on drug and alcohol abuse published in a brokerage trade industry magazine.
Abstract
A systematic sampling technique was used to obtain two 10 percent samples to minimize sampling error due to great variations in respondents' demographics and responses. When asked about their own drug use, 65 percent said they had never used drugs, 3 percent used drugs whenever they wanted to, and 28 percent reported using drugs outside the workplace only. In contrast, 54 percent reported consuming alcohol during the workday, although only 2.3 percent reported doing so on a daily basis. Just over 60 percent reported they knew no one who used drugs, and 27 percent felt drug use was confined to a small group of people. Asked if they knew a coworker with a drug problem, 17 percent replied affirmatively. While 40 percent felt drug abuse had increased in brokerage houses in the last 5 years, 60 percent felt it was not easy to obtain drugs in the workplace. Of brokers, 48 percent considered alcohol abuse to be the most serious problem in the workplace, 40 percent knew someone with an alcohol problem, and 11 percent said their coworkers has alcohol problems. Of respondents, 59 percent felt the company should have an organizational policy for dealing with substance abuse, 30 percent felt it was not within an employer's right to test, 21 percent said it was an employer's right, and 20 percent felt testing was justifiable if there was a potential problem. Employee assistance programs were espoused by 38.6 percent, confronting the user and requiring treatment by 30.5 percent, and termination by 11 percent. 3 exhibits.