Substance Abuse Statistics in the Workplace

Substance abuse is a hidden challenge affecting many workplaces. This article explores its impact on employees and businesses, providing signs to watch for and strategies to address this issue.

Overview of Substance Abuse in the Workplace

Around one in four employees admit to using substances at work. Millions struggle with addiction while trying to hold down a job.

Key Statistics on Workplace Substance Abuse

The following bar chart shows the percentage of workers with substance abuse issues across different industries.

Here’s a quick summary of the key statistics on workplace substance abuse:

• Construction: Around 15% of construction workers may deal with substance abuse, with one in five workers having a substance use disorder.
• Healthcare: Doctors and healthcare professionals have an estimated 10-14% substance use disorder, with 50.3% of doctors in a physician health program misusing alcohol and almost 36% misusing opioids.
• Law Enforcement: One in four police officers has a problem with alcohol or drugs.
• Service Industry: Workers in the accommodations or food service industry have one of the highest rates of substance use disorders and past month illicit drug use at 19.1%.

Commonly Abused Substances in the Workplace

The bar chart below shows the percentage of employees who admit to using various substances during work hours.

In summary, some key statistics on substance abuse in the workplace are:

• Marijuana: 22.5% of employees admit to using marijuana during work hours.
• Cocaine: Over 10% of employees admit to using cocaine at work.
• Opioids: Over 10% of employees admit to using oxycontin or Vicodin outside of medical need at work.
• Alcohol: 66% of employees admit to using alcohol during work hours at some point.
• Other substances: About 8% report using Adderall or Ritalin at work.

Details on Demographics

Substance abuse patterns look like the following: 

• 80% of surveyed male employees in the restaurant industry showed dangerous alcohol use patterns compared to 64% of female employees
• Younger male workers have higher rates of substance use disorders overall
• Substance abuse is also more prevalent among younger workers, particularly those aged 18-25.
• Substance abuse is more common in industries with higher job stress and lower socio-economic status, such as construction and food service.

Impacts of Substance Abuse on the Workplace

Some important statistics regarding the productivity and performance impact of substance abuse at work include:

• Absenteeism: Employees with substance use disorders miss an average of 14.8 days per year, while the subset of workers with pain medication use disorders miss an average of 29 days per year.
• Reduced Efficiency: Substance abuse can lead to a 33% decrease in productivity.
• Mistakes: Employees who abuse substances are 3.5 times more likely to be involved in a workplace accident and five times more likely to file a workers’ compensation claim.

Health and Safety

Some statistics on health and safety incidents related to substance abuse in the workplace are:

• Workplace accidents: People who struggle with substance abuse are 3.6 times more likely to be involved in workplace accidents.
• Injuries: About 47% of industrial injuries can be linked to alcohol consumption and alcoholism.
• Fatalities: Drug-related overdoses have led to a significant number of workplace fatalities, with opioids involved in a substantial portion of these cases. About 40% of all industrial fatalities can be linked to alcohol abuse.

Financial Burden

The economic costs of substance abuse to businesses are substantial. These are:

• Businesses spend an average of $10,000 extra on healthcare and substance abuse treatment for employees with substance use disorders.
• Legal costs associated with substance abuse-related incidents can be significant, including fines and settlements from accidents and workers’ compensation claims.
• The overall cost of substance abuse to the economy, including lost productivity, healthcare, and crime, is estimated at over $400 billion annually.
• Lost productivity due to substance abuse specifically costs employers $25.5 billion annually in absenteeism and poor job performance.

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Substance Abuse Prevention Tips

The best way to deal with substance abuse is to prevent it from happening in the first place. Here are some ways companies can create a healthier work environment:

• Clear policies: Establish specific guidelines on substance use, testing, and consequences.
• Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs): Offer confidential counseling and support services.
• Education and training: Provide substance abuse awareness and prevention programs for all employees.

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