Positive drug tests in U.S. rise to highest level in ten years

released by Quest Diagnostics. The Quest Diagnostics Drug Testing Index™ (DTI) examines illicit drug use by America’s workforce based on an analysis of de-identified results of more than 9.5 million urine, 900,000 oral fluid, and 200,000 hair laboratory-based tests performed nationally by the company for employers in 2015. [caption id="attachment_5569" align="alignleft" width="300"] FreeImages.com/Jan Friml[/caption] This 2015 positivity rate reflects an increase of 14 percent over the 10-year low of 3.5 percent observed in both 2010 and 2011. The DTI found the rate of amphetamine positive drug tests increased by 44 percent, marijuana increased by 26 percent, and heroin increased 146 percent, since 2011. The last year that the positivity rate for urine drug tests in the combined U.S. workforce was at or above four percent was 2005, when it reached 4.1 percent. Particularly disturbing is the increase in heroin use by those employed in the workforce. While disturbing, one could argue that it’s not surprising. It’s well reported that heroin use in the US has been on the rise, with TIME Magazine calling it an “epidemic” in a 2015 article. “Our nationally representative analysis clearly shows that drug use by the American workforce is on the rise, and this trend extends to several different classes of drugs and categories of drug tests,” said Barry Sample, Ph.D., senior director, science and technology, Quest Diagnostics Employer Solutions. ”The 2015 findings related to post-accident testing results should also be of concern to employers, especially those with safety-sensitive employees.” Ultimately, it’s more important now than at any other time in the last decade to ensure your workplace is safe and free from drugs. If you’d like to implement a drug testing program – or expand an existing program – our team would be happy to help.]]>