Drug Testing - A Controversial Topic

Drug testing is a very controversial topic. There				drug test, they could spend a lot more money
are many sides to it, and even more opinions.				over time. 95% of all companies are victims of
Some people think that it is a necessary step in				theft, yet 10% ever discover it. Furthermore,
the hiring process, while some believe it is an				30% of all business failures are caused by
infringement on their rights of privacy. In order to				employee theft. Plus, keeping in mind that 80% of
make up your own opinion about it, you must				all drug users steal from their company to
first know all the facts.				support their habit. A drug user can be a
Drug testing has become standard practice for				detrimental member of a company.
large corporations, over 80% of Fortune 500				Although drug use does go on in every industry,
corporations now test for illicit drug use before				the groups with the highest prevalence of illicit
hiring an employee. This however, is not the case				drug use include accommodations and food
for smaller companies. A report from the				services and construction, while the lowest
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration				prevalence of drug use occurs in the utilities,
states that current drug users would more likely				educational services and public administration
apply to a company that do not conduct random				industries.
or pre-employment drug testing. With that being				With all these statistics about the perils of hiring a
said, the same report also states that about one				person without a drug test, it doesn't make sense
in twelve full time workers, between the age of				for a company to not do drug tests. However,
18-64 have used illegal drugs in the past month.				some people believe that a drug test is an
These drug users have a direct impact on the				violation on their right to privacy. However, drug
companies for which they work. Substance				tests are completely legal. They were first
abusers are 33% less productive and cost their				instituted in 1981 by the United States Navy after
employers $7,000 annually. Drug users are absent				a plane crashed on the deck of a Navy ship and
from work an average of five days per month				after doing drug tests on all those involved, the
due to substance abuse. They also are four times				results revealed many of the people having been
more likely to be involved in a workplace accident				under the influence. This crash could have been
and five times more likely to file a worker's				prevented had those people not been on drugs at
compensation claim. Plus, it doesn't just affect the				the time.
company, it can effect the other employees also				Drug testing, although controversial, can protect
since substance abuse is the third leading cause of				not only a company's assets, but their employees.
workplace violence.				It's important to make sure to hire quality and
And, although most drug tests can cost a				honest people so that your company can thrive
company anywhere between $25.00 and $100.00				and become even more successful. A drug test is
depending on the depth and level of the test, if a				definitely a key part of the hiring process and
company chooses not to spend that money on a				should be implemented for every company.