Worker drug use and workplace drug-testing programs: results from the 1994 national house-hold survey on drug abuse

Keywords

drug test, drug-testing programs, employee drug use, occupation

Abstract

Workplace drug-testing programs in the United States have proliferated over the 10-15 years. It appears that many companies see drug-testing programs as an effective policy for deterring illicit drug use among their employees. However, there is little empirical research that has examined the relationship between drug-testing programs and worker drug use. Using data from the 1994 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA), this paper examines the associations among drug use, drug-testing programs, and perceptions of programs. The results suggest that weekly users of marijuana or cocaine are less likely than others to work for companies that have drug-testing programs. In general, users of marijuana and cocaine are also less likely to want to work for such companies. These findings suggest a deterrent effect of drug-testing programs, although the mechanisms underlying this deterrent effect remain unknown.

Original Publication Citation

Hoffmann, John P., and Cindy L. Larison. 1999. “Worker Drug Use and Workplace Drug Testing Programs.” Contemporary Drug Problems 26(2): 331-354.

Document Type

Peer-Reviewed Article

Publication Date

1999

Permanent URL

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/6750

Publisher

Contemporary Drug Problems

Language

English

College

Family, Home, and Social Sciences

Department

Sociology

University Standing at Time of Publication

Full Professor

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