Drug Use Up
Among Workers
A recent U.S. government survey
reports that one in 12
full-time workers acknowledged
the use of llegal drugs in
the past month.
Most of those who reported
using illicit drugs are employed fulltime,
with the highest rates among
restaurant workers, 17.4 percent
and construction workers, 15.1 percent,
according to the recently
released study. About 4 percent of
teachers and social service workers
reported using illegal drugs in the
past month, which was among the lowest rates.
Federal officials said the current usage rate is 8.2 percent.
Two previous surveys reflected a usage rate of 7.6 percent
in 1994 and 7.7 percent in 1997, but those studies
involved a much smaller sample of interviews.
The latest study comes from the Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Administration, part of the U.S. Health and
Human Services Department. The data is drawn from the
agency's annual surveys in 2002, 2003 and 2004 of the
civilian, non-institutionalized population. Each survey
included interviews with more than 40,000 people, who
were paid $30 each to participate.
One agency official said most of the illicit drug use
involved marijuana. Still, mental health experts called the
survey's results "very worrisome" because there are fewer
treatment programs than there used to be to assist employees
and employers with drug dependence.
However, testing programs for drug use are fairly prevalent,
with 48.8 percent of full-time workers responding
that their employers conducted testing for drug use.
The study also showed that the prevalence of illegal
drug use reported by full-time workers in the past month
was highest among younger workers.
Nineteen percent of workers age 18 to 25 said they used
illegal drugs during the past month, compared with 10.3
percent among those age 26 to 34; 7 percent among those
age 35 to 49 and 2.6 percent among those age 50 to 64.
Men accounted for about two-thirds of the workers - 6.4
million - who reported using illegal drugs in the past
month, the government said. Men were also more likely
than women to report illegal drug use in the past month— 9.7 percent for men, versus 6.2 percent for women.
The study also looked at alcohol use by workers. About
10.1 million full-time workers, or 8.8 percent, reported
heavy alcohol use. Heavy alcohol use was defined as
drinking five or more drinks on one occasion at least five
times in the past 30 days.
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