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A Million Brits Go To Work High Every Day
The use of narcotics has shot up by 43 per cent in just five years, according to analysis of almost 1.7million random tests in 856 British workplaces.
Cannabis, cocaine and opiates were found to be the most popular drugs.
People working in haulage, the police, manufacturing, construction, retail, commerce, healthcare, professional bodies, sport and government agencies were checked by drug-testing firm Concateno.
Workers aged 25 to 34 were most likely to test positive for Class A drugs such as cocaine, heroin, amphetamines and methadone. Men were three times more likely to test positive than women.
Drug use among employees now stands at 3.23 per cent – or one in every 30 staff – compared to 2.26 per cent in 2007.
Dr Claire George, Concateno’s laboratory director, said: ‘These are conservative figures when you consider how many companies do not have a screening programme in place.’
The tests were carried out as part of random or pre-employment programmes, rather than following a suspicion of drug use. All were conducted in organisations that had an established drugs policy, meaning workers know they could be tested.
Testing positive for drugs can be grounds for disciplinary action or even dismissal for gross misconduct in safety-critical industries.
Niamh Eastwood, of Release, which campaigns for changes in drugs laws, said: ‘Testing should not be used outside of safety-critical jobs. Unless it begins to affect performance, then what people do in their private lives is up to them. If someone takes drugs on a Saturday night, by Monday they will be sober of the drug but still test positive.
‘If someone’s drug use is becoming a problem it should treated as a medical issue.’
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