Alcohol and Illegal Drug Use in the Workplace: A Deep Look Into An Epidemic

It is without a doubt that alcohol and illegal drug use in the workplace is detrimental to the workplace environment as it affects employee morale, absenteeism, health complications and illness, productivity, and plays a huge role in workplace accidents. While some industries may be more susceptible to substance abuse problems, substance use and impairment that affects all industries and if not handled internally can become a crisis. 

Since the eighties many studies have been done in an attempt to understand the correlation between the workplace and substance use that arise from the workplace. In the late eighties the research wasn’t as well done as it was in recent times, but there is still a big divide on evidence for the fact that many do not state the differences between substance use and substance impairment. It would be unreasonable to believe no one used any substance outside of the workplace, such as alcohol, or even marijuana. According to the DSM-5-TR there are several factors that play into a diagnosis or a alcohol/drug use disorder, the following is those factors:

1. Alcohol or drugs are  taken in large quantities and over a long period of time.
2. Fruitless efforts to cut down on or control the amount of alcohol or drugs taken.
3. Time spent in activities revolving around alcohol and or drugs or to obtain alcohol and or drugs.
4. Craving for alcohol and or drugs.
5. Use of alcohol and or drugs to fill the void from lack of fulfillment.
6. Continued use of alcohol and or drugs despite social or personal problems caused by alcohol and or drugs.
7. Activities given up or hindered by use of alcohol and or drugs.
8. Use of alcohol and or drugs in situations where it can present itself to be dangerous.
9. Using alcohol and or drugs even when being aware that a problem or situation stems from the use of alcohol and or drugs.
10. Tolerance or withdrawal.

While it is not out of touch for employers to drug test, what hurts companies is the use of substances, legal or otherwise, in the workplace. Workplace accidents and productivity losses come mostly from impairment and one the job use.

Substance use in the workplace has clear signs. Working substance use is described as using alcohol or illegal drugs within two hours of starting a shift, use during breaks, and use while performing work tasks.

The use of substances and substance impairments vary in manifestation and intensity. Effects on the workplace include sleeping while performing a task, being tardy or absent, poor decision making, confrontation behavior, and injuries to oneself or others. In September 2022 companies have reported spending between $33 billion to $68 billion due to employee alcohol abuse. It has also been recorded that 21% of American workers have claimed to have been put in danger, had to restart a project, or work extra hours due to a colleague’s impairment from drinking. Another study has shown that 40% of workplace deaths and 47% of on the job injuries can be directly linked to alcohol consumption and alcoholism.

As stated previously there are some industries affected by substance abuse and impairment more than others. From a myriad of studies it has been shown that the jobs most affected by alcoholism are bartenders, construction laborers, cooks, sailors, drilling, mining, and food service. It has also been recognized that bartenders are 2.33% more likely to die from alcohol related health problems. 75% of cocaine users have reported using while on the job. In a November 2022 survey was taken across different industries for past drug use in the past month, and the industries with the highest drug use were the accommodation and food service field, the arts and entertainment, management, information and construction.

In particular the food and accommodation industries rank in the top five industries with the highest alcohol abuse and highest drug abuse. In combined data taken from 2008-2012 it was revealed that accommodations and food had the highest rates of past year substance use disorder at 16.9%. The reason for this this could be linked to several factors to include:

1. High stress environment.
2. Young labor pool.
3. Low wages.
4. Irregular work hours.
5. Low management surveillance and lack of drug testing.
6. Work culture norms.
7. Alcohol availability.
8. Peer pressure.

The food and service industries are not the only ones where people can feel the effects of their work environment and need to cope. 10-14% of healthcare professionals have a substance use disorder due to stress and the high demands of their jobs. In fact, from a study done in 2013 it revealed that some doctors are more likely to abuse prescription drugs than their patients are due to the need for stress relief and emotional or physical pain. A study done in 2009 found that 50.3% of doctors in health programs misused alcohol and 36% misused opioids. A 2016 study of over 13,000 lawyers indicated that 1 in 5 lawyers are problem drinkers, two times the rate of other professionals with similar levels of education.

The best way for companies to combat all these problems is the use of substance abuse policies in the workplace. Employers must have solid drug enforcement policies in place for the safety of their employees and to protect their products. From a survey done across different industries and over fifty eight companies it showed that 84.2% of employees believed that the workplace should have a substance abuse policy and 89.5% believed that employees should be drug tested. There is a solid method for how an employer should respond to substance abuse in the workplace, to include:

1. Create a drug policy.
2. Pre-employment screening. 
3. Create an employee assistance program.
4. Make employees aware of the program.
5. Train managers to recognize substance impairment and abuse.
6. Establish an anonymous tip line.
7. Provide an action plan.
8. Follow up with action.

A company may need to adjust their policies as needed, but the baseline for a good policy involves training, education, and regular testing. A solid and well written substance abuse policy will improve the workplace by keeping it drug and alcohol free while also providing employee safety and increasing customer satisfaction and productivity. 

Substance abuse can be devastating in a workplace and lead to low morale, injuries, absenteeism, loss of productivity and can lead to the end of a business. While stress and other factors can contribute to the use of substances in the workplace and impairment, strong leadership should prepare for this with a solid substance abuse policy and implementation. This not only sends a critical message to the employees about how their health matters to the business, but also shows customers and the public that they care about their products and customer satisfaction.

Works Cited:

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“What Professions Have the Highest Rates of Drug Abuse? (Top 10 Industries).” The Recovery Village Drug and Alcohol Rehab, 20 Apr. 2022, https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/drug-addiction/professions-highest-rate-abuse/.