Drugs in the workplace carry high costs for employers

Substance abuse problems among Ohio workers can result in workplace injuries, higher medical costs for their employers, more absenteeism and reduced productivity, according to survey data and experts.

Employers pay on average $7,000 per employee annually to deal with unaddressed substance abuse problems among workers, according to some estimates.

In the hopes of avoiding these and other troubles, many employers in Ohio screen job candidates for drugs and alcohol, and some randomly or routinely test their employees for intoxicating substances.

Employers that drug test job applicants and current workers are less likely to have drug users on their payrolls, experts said. Companies across the region and Ohio that conduct drug tests have seen a decline in results that come back positive for drugs.

But some experts warn that drug testing is not always effective to identify substance abuse, and simply taking punitive action against people who test positive can be counterproductive.

Employers can say to applicants, I am going to give you a chance to come and work for me, but I am also going to be doing random drug testing, and if you come back with dirty urine, then Ill either refer you or terminate you, said Helen Jones-Kelley, executive director of the Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board of Montgomery County.

Many otherwise qualified and competent workers struggle with drug abuse and addiction, and they could be model employees if they receive treatment.

Its a safety issue

In 2011, about 9.8 million full-time U.S. workers 18 and older either abused or were addicted to drugs or alcohol in the previous 12 months, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, which is conducted by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

About 8.4 percent of adult full-time workers, and 9.8 percent of part-time workers (or 3.2 million employees) had a drug or alcohol problem within the last year, the administration said. The number and share of Americans with substance abuse problems has declined for years.

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Drugs in the workplace carry high costs for employers