Prevalence of Alcohol and other Drug Use on the Job: Cause for Concern or Irrational Hysteria?

Abstract

There is widespread fear, concern, and apprehension regarding the problems associated with alcohol and other drug abuse in the workplace. Serious tragedies caused by drug use on the job, such as the Exxon Valdez, have created an hysteria that such behavior is common and that intoxicated employees are pervasive in the workforce. While there are few doubts that using drugs in the workplace may have serious consequences, the true extent of such behavior is poorly documented. Prevalence data for drug use on the job are found in three sources: perceptions of supervisors and employers; reports of such behavior from those in treatment for drug abuse; and general community or workforce surveys. The first two sources of data confirm the hysteria that drug abuse on the job is rampant and out of control. However, these estimates are biased and untrustworthy. In general population surveys, a wide range of estimates are found, although most report the prevalence of drug use on the job at 10% or less; being high on the job occurs more often, but regular use of drugs in the workplace is quite rare. Therefore, the general hysteria regarding the presumed pervasive abuse of drugs on the job is unfounded, although any abuse of drugs in the workplace by those in sensitive positions can have grave and deadly consequences.