DRUGS  IN  THE  WORKPLACE

Drugs in the workplace pose a severe threat to the safety of all employees and the reputation of your company. Employee drug use increases the risk of injury and accidents, reduces work productivity and increases absenteeism, and compromises every aspect of your business.



Some common narcotics are referred to as "recreational," inferring that there is little harm in their occasional use. This is simply not so. It must be realized that all narcotics have an effect on human behavior, otherwise the user wouldn't be interested in them. When someone uses drugs, the risk of injury increases for them and everyone around them as the person's perceptions are altered and the potential for accidents or violence escalates. Particularly dangerous in the workplace are drugs which cause hallucinations or other psychological aberrations, such as paranoia or delusions of grandeur.

It is not just narcotics that pose a threat to your business. Remember, alcohol is the most widely abused drug in America. Prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications are also often abused and can impair workers.




A drug habit can become very expensive and the need for funds may make an employee desperate. Employee theft can often be attributed to a need of cash for drugs (see Internal Theft). Selling drugs is usually motivated by the need for money to support a drug habit, and users of drugs in the workplace often become distributors as they realize that every coworker is a potential customer. Many times drugs are sold to outsiders from an employer's premises because the coming and going of lots of people may be less noticeable there. This type of operation can quickly ruin an employer's public image.

Some law enforcement agencies are genuinely helpful when drugs are discovered at a workplace. However, most police departments are not known for their subtlety. Our firm has decades of police experience and can work with the client and the police to solve a drug problem efficiently but discretely. Too often the police can do very little alone. They are always scarce on resources and may be unable to dedicate much attention to a drug situation that for them is not on a very large scale.



Once an employer has been advised by an employee, or is otherwise made aware that a drug problem exists, the employer must take immediate and appropriate action, else that employer may incur liability for a later mishap traceable to the drug problem. Clear procedures and precise policies must be in place in order that your company deals with drug problems efficiently, consistently, and legally. Training programs should be implemented to teach supervisors how to recognize the tell-tale behavior of drug users and what to do when they detect a drug problem on their watch. In some cases our firm may need to conduct a special undercover operation in order to identify the users and pushers of drugs.


Drug use is everywhere in our society. Every employer is bound to be faced with it sometime. Is is neither realistic nor wise for an employer to simply ignore a drug problem with his employees. It never just goes away. Like an untreated infection, a drug problem will grow throughout a company until it is systemic and potentially tragic. Do not wait for disaster before taking action. If you suspect current drug use or trafficking among your employees, or want to take preventative measures now, let RSA help you design and execute an effective fact-finding and problem-eliminating campaign against drugs in your company.

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