Each industry had to meet a minimum
average annual volume of at least 50,000 urine drug tests to be included in our analysis. We excluded four industry sectors due to insufficient volume. Tose sectors are: Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting; Mining; Management of Companies & Enterprises; and Arts, Entertainment & Recreation. Te result of this analysis was the first-ever
report of drug-use paterns by industry, and is based on a three-year analysis of American companies that complete workforce drug testing with Quest Diagnostics.
First-Ever Findings Drug use by the U.S. workforce increased each year—and by double-digits over two years—between 2015 and 2017, in five of 16 major U.S. industry sectors analyzed. Retail Trade (5.3%), Health Care and Social Assistance (4.7%), and Real Estate Rental and Leasing (4.6%) sectors had the highest overall positivity rates in 2017, while the Utilities (2.8%) and Finance and Insurance (2.6%) sectors had the lowest rates. Five sectors experienced year-over-year increases with a double-digit increase in their positivity rates between 2015 and 2017: Transportation and Warehousing (21.4%); Other Services (Except Public Administration) (15.4%); Finance and Insurance (13%); Retail Trade (12.8%); and Wholesale Trade (11.8%).
High-Positivity Industries Te Retail Trade industry had the highest 2017 positivity rate among the 16 sectors reported. Te sector observed increases in overall positivity each year between 2015 and 2017 (its positivity rate was 4.7% in 2015, 5.1% in 2016, and 5.3% in 2017). In addition to a nearly 43% growth in cocaine positivity between 2015 and 2017—more than twice the increase of the general U.S. workforce—marijuana positivity increased more than 18 percent. Te amphetamine positivity rate rose by
nearly 16% in the Health Care and Social Assistance sector. Amphetamine is a central
10 datia focus
nervous system stimulant and includes drugs such as Adderall® that may be prescribed for certain conditions, but which may also be used illicitly. Along with increasing amphetamine positivity rates, this sector saw the second-highest overall positivity in 2017 (4.7%). Te Real Estate Rental and Leasing sector held the spot for the third-highest overall positivity in 2017 (4.6%).
Marijuana Marijuana was the most commonly detected substance, with the highest drug positivity rate of all drug classes across the majority of industry sectors. Tis is consistent with the latest data from the Quest Diagnostics Drug Testing Index™ report showing marijuana reigns as the most commonly detected drug in the American workforce. Marijuana positivity was highest in Accommodation and Food Services, at 3.5% in 2017, more than 34% higher than the national positivity rate of 2.6% for the general U.S. workforce. Eight sectors experienced year-over-year
increases in marijuana positivity between 2015 and 2017: • Transportation and Warehousing (33.3%) • Other Services (except Public Administration) (33.3%)
• Construction (26.7%) • Wholesale Trade (23.5%) • Manufacturing (23.1%) • Accommodation and Food Services (20.7%)
• Administrative Support, Waste Management, and Remediation Services (19.0%)
• Retail Trade (18.5%)
Summary We understand the value of drug testing workers in safety-sensitive roles. However, tens of thousands of employees—or would-be employees— have interactions with customers that may be negatively influenced by their drug-use habit and its potentially negative effects.
Our analysis suggests that employers
across nearly every industry should be aware that employee drug use has the potential to put workplaces at risk. Moreover, drug-test positivity in the majority of industry sectors analyzed is growing, with the highest growth rates coming from consumer-facing industries, including jobs in Retail and Health Care and Social Assistance. It’s clear that the risks of employee drug
use extend far beyond transportation and heavy machinery accidents. Workers across all industries use drugs, and many at rates greater than we’ve seen in previous years. While a retail clerk, restaurant server, or nurse may not cause a job-related automobile accident, pipeline explosion, or forkliſt crash, these and other customer-facing roles are certainly in a position to influence buyer decisions, customer satisfaction, and brand quality in a number of detrimental and hard-to-quantify ways. ❚
Dr. Barry Sample, senior director of science and technology, Quest Diagnos- tics, received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry and his doctorate in pharmacology
from Indiana University and is a board-certi- fied forensic toxicologist. Dr. Sample joined Quest Diagnostics in 1991 and is responsible for the production and introduction of new products and services through new test and technology development. He also publishes the Quest Diagnostics Drug Testing Index™ annually for government, policymakers, media, and the general public. Barry is a regional commissioner and an inspector for the College of American Pathologists’ (CAP) Forensic Drug Testing (FDT) labora- tory accreditation program, a member of the Tennis (ATP Tour/ITF/WTA Tour) Anti-Doping Program Review Board, and a past president of the Substance Abuse Program Adminis- trators Association (SAPAA).
spring 2019
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