FEATURE
Substance Abuse and the Cost to Employers

According to The Economic Cost of Drug Abuse in the United States, a report from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, substance abuse cost U.S. employers an estimated $98.5 billion in 2000. The largest segment of the costs can be contributed to lost productivity as a result of drug-related illnesses and deaths. Moreover, additional costs can be contributed to higher premiums for health care.

"This report proves that the costs of tolerating drug use can be measured directly in dollars lost, work hours missed and pink slips handed out," said ONDCP Director John P. Walters. "Reducing substance abuse now would have an immediate, positive impact on our economic vitality."

This should serve as a wake up call to all employers who feel an effective drug-screening program is not vital to their company. "My advice to employers, particularly in the light of this report, is to rethink their attitude toward drug testing," recommended Vern Jones, a third-party administrator in Grandville, Michigan.

InfoMart offers its clients a variety of drug screening options, including DrugCheck5, a self-contained urinalysis-screening device that yields affordable, on-site results. DrugCheck5 requires no handling, mixing, or split sampling while still providing reliable, convenient results at a lower cost than competing devices.

For more information about DrugCheck5, or to learn more about InfoMart's other customized drug screening programs, please contact 770-984-2727 or sales@infomart-usa.com.

(Source: Workplace Substance Abuse Advisor, Volume 16, Number 5)