1 In 30 UK Employees Have Illegal Drugs In Their System While Working

Date: Jul-05-2012New research shows that almost 1 million (1 in 30) of the 29.23 million people employed in the UK have illegal drugs in their system at work.

The statistics, released by Concateno, Europe's leading drug and alcohol screening provider, also showed that cannabis, cocaine, and opiates (excluding heroin), were the most prevalent drugs used.

The study findings are based on the results of over 1.6 million UK workplace drug tests conducted between 2007-2011.

Between this time period, the researchers found that the number of employees testing positive for drugs increased by 43%. In 2007, 2.26% of employees tested positive for drugs vs. 3.23% in 2011.

Dr. Claire George, Laboratory Director at Concateno, explained:

"The positivity rate of 3.23% reported in this study demonstrates that drug use in the workplace is an issue that employers should be aware of. These are conservative figures across the workplace, when you consider how many companies do not have a screening program in place.

Concateno has seen an increase in the number of businesses seeking assistance with drug and alcohol screening programs, in order to identify, deter and reduce the risks associated with drug use in the workplace."

The researchers found that employees aged between 25 to 34 years old were more likely to test positive for Class A drugs, such as cocaine and amphetamines. Although the number of employees using cocaine decreased in 2009, usage has increased each year since.

Dr. George concludes:

"Drug screening programs are a good way of identifying potential drug related issues in the workplace. The introduction of a balanced policy which includes an Employee Assistance Program providing support and education, as well as drug testing, has been proven to reduce the level of substance misuse in the workplace over time."

Written by Grace Rattue

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