Pubdate: Tue, 20 Jun 2006
Source: Detroit Free Press (MI)
Copyright: 2006 Detroit Free Press
Contact:  http://www.freep.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/125
Author: Stephanie Armour and Del Jones, USA Today
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Test)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

ILLEGAL DRUG USE BY WORKERS HITS A LOW

Illegal drug use among workers in the United States fell to its 
lowest level in nearly two decades in a trend driven in part by 
tougher drug-testing practices, putting cold medicines behind the 
counter and closing down methamphetamine labs in America.

Overall, workers testing positive for drugs fell to 4.1% in 2005, 
Quest Diagnostics said Monday, the lowest percentage in the 17 years 
that the giant workplace drug-testing company has been releasing 
data. It started at 13.6% in 1988 and had fallen to 4.5% in 2003 and 2004.

The percentage of employees testing positive for methamphetamine also 
tumbled, indicating a reversal of a trend that had become a concern 
of employers in 2001 and 2002. Positive tests for amphetamines 
declined 8% in 2005 and is down 45% since 2004.

Data for the first five months of the year also show amphetamine use 
is continuing to decline. Employees testing positive for amphetamine 
use fell by 10% from January through May.

Quest performs 7.3 million drug tests a year. Marijuana continues to 
be by far the drug that appears most often in workplace drug tests, 
although marijuana positives are down 20% since 2001.

"We were pleasantly surprised," says Barry Sample, director of 
science and technology for Quest's employer solutions division. 
"Methamphetamine is at the lowest" level "since 2002. Simply having a 
drug-testing program is an effective deterrent."

It's an issue of importance to employers: More than 70% of substance 
abusers hold a job, according to the American Council for Drug 
Education. Drug use on the job leads to increased accident risks, 
lower productivity, higher insurance costs and reduced profits.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman