14 Million US Workers Abuse Alcohol, Drugs

WebMD has published an article about the SAMHSA report Worker Substance Use and Workplace Policies and Programs.

Some of the facts highlighted in the article include:

The report concludes that nearly 11 million American workers abuse or are dependent on alcohol, while another 3 million abuse illegal drugs. The figures represent more than 8% of the total full-time workforce, though some industries have far more substance abuse.

The food service and construction industries had among the highest levels of drug and alcohol use across the economy. Nearly one in five construction workers admitted drinking heavily in the past month, the report found.

About four in 10 workers work for employers that require drug or alcohol testing during the hiring process. Those workplaces also tend to have fewer drug users on the payroll. But researchers still don’t know if the tests are actually weeding out substance abusers.

They also showed workers who acknowledge drinking heavily are more likely to miss work or frequently change jobs. Nearly 14% of workers who reported drinking heavily in the past month said they’d also skipped one or more days of work during that time. Just more than 8% of nondrinking workers said they’d skipped work.