As a business, it is extremely important to consider the necessity of all expenditures – especially those that are continuous and take up employee work time. Drug testing has long been a source of debate for businesses and their workers; however, from the perspective of the company, there is much to be gained from maintaining and enforcing a drug-free workplace. At America Drug Free, we understand how much you value your workers being sober. After all, drug use impairs the judgment and physical abilities of your employees.
Avoidance
Some people claim that since positive drug tests are declining in recent years, we no longer need to test employees as regularly – or at all. Unfortunately, those declining numbers do not account for one confounding variable: drug users don’t like being tested. If a drug user is looking for a job, they are most likely to apply for jobs that do not perform regular tests (or look for companies that do not require a drug test before hire). The mere presence of a drug testing policy will deter drug use in your company’s workforce.
Drug Abuse is Common
Recent data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) shows that, in 2017, 139.8 million Americans were binge drinkers, 9.9 million misused prescription pain medication, 15.9% of the population used marijuana, and 1 in 5 people 12 and older used an illicit drug. According to information presented at an annual Drug and Alcohol Testing Industry Association conference, positive drug tests hit an all-time high in 2018. Since then, numbers have been falling; however, as mentioned previously, we don’t want to discontinue testing simply because positivity rates have decreased.
America Drug Free
Depending on the type of business you are in, you may want to consider adding or increasing your testing coverage moving forward. Simply by requesting that employees submit to regular or spontaneous testing you can begin building an environment that does not tolerate substance abuse. Drug testing, while sometimes controversial, is an essential tool to keep your employees accountable at work – a place you are paying them to be.
We offer on-site drug testing so that your employees don’t need to make additional stops or take up more of your hourly wages than necessary. Our professional technicians make the testing process quick and easy, all while handling samples with forensic accuracy. America Drug Free makes sure that testing is a simple, painless process so that everyone can get back to work quickly.
Take a step towards a drug-free workplace today by contacting our team; we look forward to hearing from you and helping you facilitate the work environment that you value most.