The COVID-19 pandemic has led to many changes for employers and employees alike, especially when it comes to prioritizing safety in the workplace.
Similar to national crises, such as the terrorist attacks on 9/11, the pandemic has proven that substance abuse increases during these times. Referencing a report by Well Being Trust and the Robert Graham Center for Policy Studies in Family Medicine and Primary Care, Human and Health Services Secretary Alex Azar stated, "The recession from the pandemic will lead to at least an extra 65,000 deaths from drug overdose, alcohol abuse and suicide over 10 years." People tend to rely on self-medicating to help them cope during such troubled times. It's more important now than ever before for employers to continue drug testing to further protect their company and employees.
Prior to the pandemic, substance abuse rates were on the rise due to the combination of the legalization of marijuana and the opioid epidemic. With the pandemic adding emotional distress, the numbers are expected to continue to rise, even after the coronavirus pandemic comes to an end. In April and May, the number of positive drug tests increased substantially compared to the previous year.
DISA Global Solutions' trusted lab partner, Clinical Reference Laboratories, has provided closer insight into historical drug testing positivity rates for the four most commonly tested drugs (marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines and opioids). On average, when comparing these four drugs year-over-year, April's positivity rates were up by more than 16 percent. In May, the trend continued with a 24.1-percent increase in positivity rates, compared to May 2019. Marijuana, specifically, went up 21 percent between April 2019 and April 2020 and saw a staggering 37.8-percent increase in positivity rates between May 2019 and May 2020.
Although these numbers are highlighting a year-over-year increase, April and May 2020 spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic. The positivity rate increase from January to May 2020 was 21.57 percent for marijuana, 16.67 percent for amphetamines, 5.19 percent for opiates, and 51.72 percent for cocaine. Last year saw a rise in amphetamine and marijuana positivity rates, but the pandemic has accelerated the problem. Additionally, cocaine was decreasing from May 2019 to the end of the year, but this crisis has caused it to boomerang back up significantly.
Safety-sensitive random drug testing
According to DISA's year-over-year data for random drug testing, drug abuse has dramatically increased in our industry. Positivity rates are up from 0.18 percent in April 2019 to 0.37 percent in May 2020, more than doubling the number of positive random drug tests in 13 months. Additionally, we are seeing an increase in amphetamine positivity rates, up 240 percent, and opioid positivity rates which are up by more than 430 percent. The safety- sensitive industry has historically been hit particularly hard by the opioid epidemic. As a result of this pandemic, both amphetamines and opioids have surpassed cocaine in random drug testing positivity rates. This is the first time DISA has ever seen that occur.
Continued workplace safety
One of the long-lasting effects of the pandemic employers will have to address, even once it has ended, is increased substance abuse. As states begin phasing employees back into the workplace, it's vital that employers implement drug testing procedures. Random testing or testing all employees before they return to work is instrumental for employers to maintain safe workplaces. Pre-employment testing will also help employers determine a reliable hire when rebuilding staff in the months to come. A common misconception among employers is that sample collection sites pose an increased risk of coronavirus exposure to employees sent for testing. The collection site industry as a whole has enforced new guidelines and safety measures to reduce the risk of exposure. Some of those measures include waiting in the car, enhanced cleaning protocols, PPE protocols and employee social distancing.
For more information, visit www.disa.com, call (800) 752-6432 or email sales@disa.com.
