Drug testing is an important way to screen out individuals who are often problems to others at work and school. Employers rely upon drug testing because statistics show substance abusers are absent more often, are less productive and have more accidents, according to Michael Walden and Peg Thoms in their book, "Battleground Business." Drug testing of high school and college student athletes may also reduce the risk of students turning to drugs. Some doctors develop problems with alcohol and drug abuse and according to psychiatrist Mark S. Gold in his book, "The Encyclopedia of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism," drug testing is an integral part of their recovery.
Screening Out Problem Workers
In their 2007 book "Battleground Business," editors Michael Walden and Peg Thoms provide statistics revealing why businesspeople favor drug testing in the workplace. For example, they note that substance abusers account for up to 80 percent of employee theft and pilferage. Individuals who abuse drugs are up to 50 percent less productive than others employees. They are also up to four times more likely to have accidents on the job and five times more likely to file worker compensation claims. The authors also note that other employees have thanked employers for starting drug testing programs, saying that they now feel safer on the job.
Tested Students May Take Fewer Drugs
Student athletes who test positive for drugs run the risk of losing their college scholarships and the opportunity to play sports, with the hope of playing professional sports after graduation. Some research indicates drug testing may reduce their risk of drug abuse.
In a study of 276 athletes and 507 non-athletes in a high school, researchers Dr. Linn Goldberg and colleagues tested for drugs at the beginning and end of the school year, reporting their findings in the "Journal of Adolescent Health" in 2003. The researchers found that the athletes had a significantly lower rate of drug use at the end of the year compared with the non-athletes.
Screening Impaired Doctors
Some physicians are drug and/or alcohol abusers. In his book "The Encyclopedia of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism," chief of psychiatry Mark S. Gold says that most states have programs for impaired physicians within state licensing boards. If the doctor enters the program, formal treatment will begin and there will be at least five years of regular urine testing. Studies of such programs have reported a success rate of 81 percent or greater, says Gold.
According to Dr. Michael G. Fitzsimons and colleagues in their 2008 article for "Economics, Education, and Policy," substance abuse is a problem in up to 2 percent of anesthesiology residents, and the greatest risk for a drug-related death occurs within five years of graduation from medical school. Anesthesiologists have ready access to drugs and they work in a stressful career.
The researchers performed random drug testing to attempt to reduce addiction among the anesthesia residents, using preplacement random drug testing for many drugs, such as amphetamines, barbiturates, cocaine, opiates and phencyclidine, or PCP. Random testing was also performed during the residency and if there was a suspicion of drug use, drug testing was also performed. The authors noted that they did not have sufficient statistical data to determine if resident drug abuse decreased with their program, although the data did suggest such a decrease had occurred.
References
- "Economics, Education, and Policy"; Random Drug Testing to Reduce the Incidence of Addiction in Anesthesia Residents: Preliminary Results from One Program; Michel G. Fitzsimons, M.D., et al.; August 2008
- "Journal of Adolescent Health"; Drug Testing Athletes to Prevent Substance Abuse; Linn Goldberg, M.D., et al.; 2003
- "Battleground Business"; Michael Walden and Peg Thoms, editors; 2007
- "The Encyclopedia of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism"; Mark S. Gold, M.D., and Christine Adamec; 2010
