Workforce Drug Test Cheating Surged in 2023, Finds Quest Diagnostics Drug Testing Index Analysis of Nearly 10 Million Drug Tests
The Quest Diagnostics Drug Testing Index for 2023 reveals a substantial increase in workforce drug test tampering, with tampered specimens surging over six-fold compared to the previous year. The report, analyzing nearly 9.8 million tests, shows a 633% rise in substituted specimens and a 45.2% increase in invalid specimens. General U.S. workforce drug positivity remained high at 5.7%, while marijuana positivity rose to 4.5%—a 45.2% increase over five years. Post-accident marijuana positivity reached a new peak of 7.5% in 2023. In contrast, federally mandated, safety-sensitive workforce marijuana positivity saw a slight decrease. Other notable trends include increased drug positivity among office-based industries and a rise in cocaine positivity. Meanwhile, opiates and heroin metabolite positivity showed a decline.
- General workforce drug positivity sustained a high rate of 5.7% in 2023.
- Marijuana positivity in the general workforce increased by 4.7% in 2023.
- Post-accident marijuana positivity in the general workforce hit 7.5% in 2023.
- Drug positivity increased in office-based industries: Real Estate (17%), Professional Services (9.3%), Educational Services (7.9%), and Public Administration (5%).
- Marijuana positivity increased in 13 out of 15 industries, notably Finance and Insurance (35.7%), Public Administration (23.5%), and Real Estate (22.2%).
- Cocaine positivity increased by 9.1% in the general workforce.
- Substituted urine specimens surged 633% in the general U.S. workforce in 2023.
- Invalid urine specimens increased by 45.2% in the general U.S. workforce in 2023.
- Substituted specimens in the federally mandated, safety-sensitive workforce rose by 370.6%.
- Invalid urine specimens in the safety-sensitive workforce increased by 36.7%.
- Post-accident marijuana positivity has increased by 114.3% between 2015 and 2023.
- A study linked recreational marijuana laws to a 10% rise in workplace injuries for individuals aged 20-34.
Insights
The findings from Quest Diagnostics reveal significant shifts in drug testing results within the U.S. workforce, particularly concerning tampering attempts and marijuana positivity. The sharp 633% increase in substituted urine specimens and the 45.2% rise in invalid specimens reflect a growing trend among employees to subvert drug testing protocols. This data suggests a potential erosion of workplace safety standards, which could prompt companies to reevaluate their drug testing policies and enforcement mechanisms.
The consistency in drug positivity rates at 5.7% despite the rise in tampering indicates that drug use remains a prevalent issue. This poses a risk not only to workplace safety but also to overall productivity. Additionally, the data shows a notable increase in marijuana positivity within office-based industries, such as Real Estate and Lending by 17.0% and Professional, Scientific and Technical Services by 9.3%. This trend could be attributed to pandemic-induced stress and changes in work environments, highlighting the need for enhanced mental health support and drug education programs.
For retail investors, this news signals potential shifts in the labor market and the necessity for companies to adapt their policies to maintain workforce efficiency and safety. Companies in industries with high positivity rates may face increased operational risks and potential drops in productivity, which could impact their financial performance and stock valuation.
The data from Quest Diagnostics underscores the critical role of robust regulatory frameworks in ensuring workplace safety. The significant increase in tampering attempts and drug positivity rates calls for stringent enforcement of drug testing regulations, particularly in safety-sensitive sectors. The decrease in marijuana positivity in the federally mandated workforce by 3.1% suggests that strict drug testing protocols can act as a deterrent, reducing drug use and enhancing safety standards.
However, the overall rise in drug positivity and tampering in the general workforce points to potential gaps in regulatory oversight and the need for comprehensive strategies to address these challenges. Employers may need to collaborate with regulatory bodies to refine their drug testing policies and implement more advanced testing technologies to detect tampering effectively.
From an investor's perspective, companies that proactively address these issues by strengthening their drug testing programs and compliance measures could mitigate risks associated with workplace accidents and legal liabilities, thereby enhancing their long-term stability and market reputation.
The increasing drug positivity rates and tampering incidents highlighted in the Quest Diagnostics report have significant implications for healthcare policy. The rise in marijuana use among employees, particularly in states where it is legalized, suggests that current workplace drug policies may not adequately address the complexities of legal drug use. The data indicates a need for nuanced policies that balance employee rights with workplace safety.
The correlation between marijuana legalization and increased workplace injuries, as noted in the JAMA Health Forum study, further emphasizes the need for policies that promote both public health and safety. Employers and policymakers must work together to develop comprehensive drug education programs and provide mental health support to address the underlying causes of drug use, such as stress and isolation.
This shift in drug use patterns also suggests potential changes in healthcare demands, with a likely increase in the need for addiction treatment and mental health services. Investors should monitor companies in the healthcare sector that are poised to benefit from these evolving needs, as well as those in sectors with high drug positivity rates, as they may face increased healthcare costs and operational challenges.
Overall Drug Positivity Holds Steady at Historically High Rates while Marijuana Positivity Continued Upward Climb in the General
Marijuana Positivity in the General
The increase in substituted urine specimens in the general
The increasing rates of substituted or invalid specimens coincide with historically high rates of both general
"The increased rate of both substituted and invalid specimens indicates that some American workers are going to great lengths to attempt to subvert the drug testing process," said Suhash Harwani, Ph.D., Senior Director of Science for Workforce Health Solutions at Quest Diagnostics. "Given the growing acceptance and use of some drugs, particularly marijuana, it may be unsurprising that some people feel it necessary to try and cheat a drug test. It is possible that our society's normalization of drug use is fostering environments in which some employees feel it is acceptable to use such drugs without truly understanding the impact they have on workplace safety."
Similar trends were also seen in the federally mandated, safety-sensitive
"Organizations must have sound policy and procedures to ensure employee drug testing programs have efficacy. Cheating on drug tests not only undermines workplace safety but also jeopardizes the safety of society as a whole," said Katie Mueller, a senior program manager at the National Safety Council focusing on cannabis safety. "Companies, regulators and policymakers must prioritize accountability for the well-being of all individuals in our communities; lives depend on it."
Marijuana Continues Upward Climb
Marijuana positivity in the general
Marijuana Drug Test Positivity Decreases in Federally Mandated, Safety Sensitive Workforce
In the federally mandated safety-sensitive workforce, marijuana positivity decreased nationally
Marijuana positivity stayed the same (
"The federally mandated, safety-sensitive population has a lower rate of drug positivity, likely due to the fact that there is decreased drug use when there is an expectation of being drug tested. This is fundamentally the strength of having a drug testing program. The mere expectation of drug testing may be a deterrent, dissuading individuals from both drug use and applying for positions where such tests are standard practice," said Dr. Harwani.
Post-accident Marijuana Positivity Continues to Climb
In 2023, post-accident marijuana positivity of urine drug tests in the general
The Quest data aligns with other reports associating marijuana legalization with workplace harms. A February 2024 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA Health Forum) found recreational marijuana laws that allow recreational marijuana sales were associated with a
"As the prevalence of marijuana positives in the workforce rises, our concern grows," said Mueller. "The data show an increasing correlation between marijuana use and adverse workplace effects, prompting a call for heightened vigilance and comprehensive strategies to safeguard workplace safety and productivity."
"Most employers are highly focused on productivity, which can be achieved by improving workforce health and wellness. A well-executed drug testing program can help an organization to maintain a healthier a workforce which, based on our data, could decrease the potential for accidents or other unsafe behaviors," added Dr. Harwani.
Positivity Increased in Industries Associated with Office Work
Overall drug workforce positivity increased in industries associated with "office work," such as administrative, managerial, and clerical tasks within office environments. Workforce positivity increased in Real Estate and Lending by
Marijuana positivity increased in 13 out of 15 industries led by Finance and Insurance which increased
"It isn't clear why we're seeing an increase in overall and marijuana drug positivity in office workers, but it isn't a stretch that a combination of unprecedented stress and isolation during the pandemic with work-from-home policies during and post-pandemic may be contributing to greater drug use in employees in traditionally white-collar fields," said Sam Sphar, Vice President and General Manager, Workforce Health Solutions, Quest Diagnostics. "The results underscore the growing need for mental health support and drug education programs to ensure employees are safe and productive, whether working at home or in the office."
Urine Drug Test Positivity Among Other Drug Types
Cocaine positivity in the general
Opiates (codeine/morphine) positivity decreased
About the Quest Diagnostics Drug Testing Index™
The Quest Diagnostics Drug Testing Index™ (DTI) is a series of reports that provide insights into trends in workforce drug use based on positivity rates of deidentified laboratory tests performed by Quest Diagnostics for a range of illicit, legal and prescription drugs. It examines test results according to three categories of workers: the federally mandated, safety-sensitive workforce; the general
The strengths of the DTI analysis include its large, nationally representative sample size, longitudinal monitoring, a testing population that is generally reflective of the
About Quest Diagnostics Workforce Health Solutions
Through its workforce health solutions, Quest Diagnostics is a leading provider of laboratory testing and other services designed to optimize the health, safety, and wellbeing of employees. Quest workforce health solutions includes population health and biometric and laboratory screening services to identify and act on disease risks in the earliest stages; workplace drug testing services to help identify and pre-empt dangerous workplace drug use; and OSHA-required laboratory screening and vaccination services. Based on the industry leading diagnostics expertise of Quest Diagnostics, our solutions incorporate the latest science, technology and innovations in laboratory medicine and healthcare management to reveal the actions that will improve workforce health, for better medical care and lower costs. For more information, visit WorkforceHealthSolutions.com.
About Quest Diagnostics
Quest Diagnostics empowers people to take action to improve health outcomes. Derived from the world's largest database of clinical lab results, our diagnostic insights reveal new avenues to identify and treat disease, inspire healthy behaviors, and improve health care management. Quest annually serves one in three adult Americans and half the physicians and hospitals in
i A substituted drug test result means the specimen is not consistent with normal human urine as evidenced by creatinine and specific gravity values that are outside the physiologically producible ranges of human urine. An invalid drug test result indicates that the specimen submitted for drug testing contains an unidentified adulterant, interfering substance, has abnormal physical characteristics (which could damage laboratory instrumentation), or contains a substance that may be a normal constituent of urine at an abnormal concentration.
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SOURCE Quest Diagnostics
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