Workplace Drug Testing Gets Boost by Feds

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, alcohol and drug abuse has been estimated to cost American businesses roughly $81 billion in lost productivity in just one year?$37 billion due to premature death and $44 billion due to illness.

Although the rate of current illicit drug use is higher among unemployed individuals, approximately 77 percent of current illicit drug users in the US are employed.  This averages out to be roughly 7 percent of the workforce.

In an effort to curb some of this behavior in the federal government, the AP reported last week that additional drug-testing procedures are being examined to possibly incorporate next year.  The alternative procedures such as testing samples of sweat, hair and saliva vary from standard urine sampling, which can be obscured or altered to throw off current tests.  Sticking to national figures, this means the latest estimates of drug-using federal employees comes to about 105,000 and having new procedures could help reduce that number.

The new push to get a more accurate account of drug users employed by the federal government is believed to spark similar changes in businesses. 

Many businesses today have a drug-free workplace policy, which is a set of rules and regulations dealing with the prevention and detection of drug-using employees.  Companies often have or work with Employee Assistance Programs (EAP's), which provided direct or referred services to deal with issues such as substance abuse or other problems in the workplace.

Employers and EAP's alike are continuously searching for effective measures to reduce current drug use and prevent it in the future.  One organization that has been successfully doing so for individuals for over three decades is the Narconon Drug Education and Rehabilitation program.

Luke Catton is the president of Narconon Arrowhead, the largest facility in the international network spanning 37 countries.  According to Catton, "Substance abuse needs to be addressed literally in all sectors of society.  That is why we work not just with individuals, but coalitions, churches, schools, unions and corporations large and small."

Narconon Arrowhead has a proven track record of positive results in the field of rehabilitation and prevention at its mission is to eradicate substance abuse internationally.  Based on the highly successful drug-free methodology of L. Ron Hubbard, Narconon Arrowhead attracts clients from all 50 states and many foreign countries seeking to either end their addiction or become knowledgeable in the non-traditional program delivery. 

The network as a whole is growing rapidly and several governments around the world are teaming up with Narconon International and Narconon Arrowhead to develop programs for them locally.

To find out more about Narconon Arrowhead or to get help for a loved one in need, call 1-800-468-6933 or log on to www.stopaddiction.com.

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