NCJ Number
161683
Journal
Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine Volume: 65 Issue: 2 Dated: (February 1989) Pages: 166-172
Date Published
1989
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This discussion of drug abuse and employee drug testing in the public and private sectors notes that a consensus appears to have developed that the workplace is an appropriate place to intervene in the process of individual drug abuse and that businesses should take an increasingly active role in addressing the national drug problem.
Abstract
In many ways, drug abuse is like an infectious disease that can spread rapidly when unchecked. Good educational programs to inform employees about the harmful consequences of alcohol and drug abuse, together with prevention programs to develop an attitude of unacceptability of drug abuse among coworkers, will help inoculate the workforce against this infectious disease. The large majority of workers who are not drug users seem to support the prospect of eliminating the drug culture from their working lives and seem willing to sacrifice a certain degree of personal privacy to achieve this goal. Overall, a moderate approach to employee drug testing is increasingly gaining acceptance. Programs usually begin with tests of employment applicants and later move on to tests of selected groups of current employees, usually only for some cause. Some employers have begun random testing of employees with positions involving safety or security. The United States Department of Health and Human Services has issued technical and scientific guidelines for employee drug testing. To ensure accuracy and reliability, standard procedures involve an initial screening assay followed by a confirmation assay. The National Institute on Drug Abuse offers a laboratory certification program. More attention should be given to that of employee assistance, treatment, and rehabilitation. Accurate information will help employers, workers, and unions continue to develop and refine ideas about these difficult issues. The medical department also has a crucial role in policy development and program oversight. Discussion of drug testing costs