DRUGS IN THE WORKPLACE POSE SERIOUS THREAT TO U.S. BUSINESS VIABILITY

Do you think that drug use does not have a significant effect on business in this country? Then consider this: Of the estimated 17.9 million current illicit drug users (aged 18 and older), 13.4 million of them are employed full or part time.

This means that 13.4 million of the U.S workforce is working impaired. And what does “impaired” mean? The effects of marijuana, the most commonly abused drug, include problems with memory and learning, distorted perception, difficulty in thinking and problem solving, loss of coordination and increased heart rate. Effects of cocaine, the drug in second place, include heart attacks, respiratory failure, strokes, seizures, and bizarre or violent behavior.

The Small Business Administration estimates that substance abusers are 33 percent less productive and each one costs their employers $7,000 annually. As much as 40 percent of industrial fatalities can be linked to alcohol abuse, and drug-using employees are nearly four times more likely to be involved in a workplace accident. The National Council on Compensation Insurance states that 38 to 50 percent of all workers’ compensation claims are related to substance abuse.

It all adds up to a serious burden for U.S. businesses, especially smaller businesses. Smaller companies often carry a heavier burden when it comes to drug-using employees as they often prefer to work for a smaller company that does not have a drug-testing program.

“The U.S. economy would flourish if these 13.4 million people were returned to a healthy, productive lifestyle,” stated Ryan Thorpe, Director of Admissions at Narconon Arrowhead, one of the country’s leading drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers, located in Canadian, Oklahoma. “That is where we come in. We offer employers an alternative to simply getting rid of good staff that can be rehabilitated, and we enable good workers who have become addicted to drugs to return to the workforce, sober and hardworking. Thus they can continue to take care of their families and live an enjoyable life. At Narconon, our program constantly returns substance abusers to a healthy, productive lifestyle. Seven out of ten of our graduates are still drug-free two years after they return to work.”

---