Positive U.S. Workplace Drug Tests Reach 10-Year High

(Winter 2016) According to a report recently released by Quest Diagnostics, the proportion of positive drug tests among employees in the American workforce has climbed to a 10-year peak. This data is derived from the results of almost 11 million workplace tests conducted in 2015 on behalf of employers by Quest Diagnostics, the world’s largest provider of clinical laboratory services.

Quest found that the incidence of positive results for both urine and oral fluid tests are on the rise. Of the 9.5 million urine samples screened, last year’s positive tests jumped to four percent, marking the first time since 2005 the statistic has reached this level. In line with the general trend, post-accident positive urine tests are also on the upswing – clearly an issue for all employers, but particularly for those with safety-sensitive positions. This pattern continues for oral fluid testing, with positive tests increasing from 6.7% in 2013 to 9.1% in 2015; marijuana is singled out as a leading cause for this almost 50% spike. Close to 10% of oral fluid tests indicated the presence of one or more substances, meaning that almost one in eleven prospective employees failed this type of screening.

Quest’s overall results show a shift in the abused drugs of choice. The company reported a decline in opioid prescription drug use as of 2011, but since that time marijuana and amphetamines have been trending upward in workplace urine tests. The rising outbreak of heroin use in the general public has also been reflected in the results of employer-driven drug tests.

These unsettling trends provide a strong impetus for employers to provide increased substance abuse education.

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