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Two recently released government reports
can help employers and employees working to ensure their
workplaces are drug free learn about specific challenges they
may face based on geographical location.
The reports, one estimating
drug use at the state level and the other addressing
drug use in the nation’s 15 largest metropolitan areas, were
compiled by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration (SAMHSA) using data from its annual National
Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).
With national NSDUH data consistently
revealing that three-quarters of current illicit drug users are
employed, it is likely that prevalence of and trends in drug use
among a local workforce reflect those of its larger community.
Current illicit drug use means use of an illegal drug within the
last month.
When developing workplace-based drug
education programs, business owners, human resource
professionals, employee assistance professionals, health and
safety professionals, union leaders and others may review the
reports and tailor curricula to focus on specific drugs of
concern in their local communities and the treatment options
available for people who abuse them.
Organizations that do not currently have a
workplace-based drug prevention initiative, commonly called a
drug-free workplace program, can learn more about how to develop
one by visiting the U.S. Department of Labor’s
Working Partners for an Alcohol- and Drug-Free Workplace Web
site.
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