HomeThe Briefing RoomDrug TrendsDrug Testing Positivity On The Rise Among American Workers

Drug Testing Positivity On The Rise Among American Workers

  • April 2, 2022
  • Posted by: Keith Graves
  • Category: Drug Trends
No Comments
workplace drug testing

Quest Diagnostics released the results of more than 11 million de-identified urine, hair and oral fluid drug test results collected between January and December 2021. They found that “the overall positivity rate in the combined U.S. workforce, based on nearly nine million urine drug tests collected between January and December 2021, was up in 2021 to 4.6% compared to 4.4% in 2020 and up 31.4 percent from the all-time low of 3.5% just 10 years ago (2010-2012).” The positivity rate peaked in 1988 at 13.6%. Other key findings include:

ONLINEDRUGTRAINING.COM
Get updated illicit drug training at OnlineDrugTraining.com
  • Despite years of decline, positivity rates increased in several federally mandated, safety-sensitive workforce testing categories
  • Urine positivity rates for post-accident testing increased at a greater rate than pre-employment testing over five years, driven by higher positivity on post-accident tests for marijuana, cocaine, and semi-synthetic opiates
  • Retail Trade had highest positivity among key industries
  • Drug specific findings include:
    * Positivity for marijuana continues upward climb in general U.S. workforce: 17 of 17 industries saw increases in the workforce positivity rate for marijuana for 2020-2021; 15 saw double digit increases, and six saw marijuana positivity rates double or more than double.
    * Mixed picture for cocaine positivity in the general U.S. workforce
    * Positivity for opiates and oxycodones in the general U.S. workforce decreased last year and over five years
    * Positivity for 6-AM (heroin) in the general U.S. workforce decreased over five years

Specific data is available in the press release and interactive maps showing state and substate level positivity rates over time overall and for 8 substances/drug categories (6-AM (heroin metabolite), cocaine, marijuana, amphetamines, opiates, opiates (hydrocodone/hydromorphone), opiates (oxycodone/oxymorphone), and PCP)
Interactive Maps: Quest Diagnostics

Analysis: What Are the Gaps in Drug Testing?

Our workplace drug testing is quite antiquated. As an example, we test for PCP but we don’t test for Fentanyl or Fentanyl analogs. Fentanyl use is at an all time high in the United States and PCP is rarely seen anymore. So why even test for it? It has been our experience that people using PCP are switching to other synthetic drugs, like TCP, that are easier to obtain through the internet. If workplaces actually tested for the drugs that were a problem, we would see even higher numbers.



Author: Keith Graves
Keith is a retired Police Sergeant, working his entire 29 year career in the San Francisco Bay Area. Keith is a recipient of the prestigious California’s Narcotics Officer of the Year Award and is a prior winner of MADD’s California Hero Award. He has years of experience as a Narcotics Detective and a Narcotics Unit Supervisor and is a Drug Recognition Expert Instructor (IACP #3292). Keith has developed several courses for the Department of Defense, California Narcotics Officers Association, and California POST, and numerous police agencies and private corporations. Keith has held other assignments besides narcotics including Training Sergeant, Patrol Sergeant, COPPS Officer, Traffic Officer, and 20 years as a SWAT Team member and Sniper Team Leader. Keith has taught thousands of officers and businesses around the world about drug use, drug trends, compliance training and drug investigations. Keith is also the founder of Christian Warrior Training, where he provides free resources and training to church security ministries. He is recognized as an international drug expert and has testified as an expert in court proceedings on drug cases, homicide cases and rape prosecutions. Keith earned a BA in Business Management from Saint Mary’s College of California and a MA in Criminal Justice. Keith is the Founder and President of Graves & Associates, a company dedicated to providing drug training to law enforcement, the Department of Defense, and private industry internationally. You can follow Keith on social media on Facebook (DopeCop and DrugEnforcementCops), twitter (DopeCop) and Instagram (DrugEnforcementCops).

Leave a Reply