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Drug
test positive rates. Drrug use abuse statistics,Positive rates of drug tests by specific drug testing
category.
OHS Health and Safety
Services,
Incorporated
DRUG
TESTING POSITIVE RATES- BY SPECIFIC DRUG, TESTING CATEGORY, AND REASON.
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Overall Workplace Drug-Abuse
Statistics Climb!
"Increase driven by 35%
growth in workplace use of Amphetamines."
Information courtesy of Quest Diagnostics Laboratories
"Drug-Use Is
Life
Abuse" - Drug-Use Is Self-Abuse
- Drugs Destroy Dreams!
TETERBORO, N.J.,
November 5, 2003 — Drug use in the general U.S. workforce climbed in the
first half of 2003, driven by continued growth in the use of amphetamines,
according to the semi-annual Drug Testing Index released today by Quest
Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE: DGX), the leading provider of employer drug
testing services in the United States.
The Drug Testing Index
summarizes the results of workplace drug tests performed by Quest Diagnostics
between January and June 2003. The Drug Testing Index examines positivity rates
among three major testing populations: federally-mandated, safety-sensitive
workers; the general workforce; and the combined U.S. workforce.
Federally-mandated, safety-sensitive workers include pilots, bus and truck
drivers and workers in nuclear power plants, for whom routine drug testing is
mandated by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Nuclear Regulatory
Commission.
For general U.S.
workforce employees, the drug positivity rate, which is the proportion of
positive test results to all drug tests performed by Quest Diagnostics for this
category, increased to 5.0% between January and June 2003, from 4.8% between
January and December 2002. At the same time, the incidence of amphetamine
positivity increased by 35%, reaching 0.46% of all drug tests that look for
amphetamine use among this group of workers. Between January and December 2002
amphetamine positivity was 0.34%.1
Among
federally-mandated, safety-sensitive employees, overall drug positivity remained
the same during the same period at 2.5%, an all-time low since 1998. Amphetamine
positivity increased slightly to 0.29% between January and June 2003 from 0.28%
between January and December 2002.
"Half the increase
in drug positivity among general U.S. workforce employees was driven by their
growing use of amphetamines," said Barry Sample, Ph.D., Director of Science
and Technology for Quest Diagnostics' Corporate Health and Wellness division.
"While the Drug Testing Index did detect increases in drug use from other drug
classes, these increases were significantly smaller."
Amphetamines belong to
a category of drugs known as stimulants, which are used to increase alertness,
relieve fatigue and help people feel stronger and more decisive. Stimulants are
also used for euphoric effects or to counteract the "down" feeling of
tranquilizers or alcohol. Possible side effects of stimulants include increased
heart and respiratory rates, elevated blood pressure, dilated pupils and
decreased appetite; high doses may cause rapid or irregular heartbeat, loss of
coordination or collapse.2
Illegal methamphetamine
use and trafficking that began during the last decade is now an epidemic
sweeping the nation, according to recently published Congressional testimony,
which outlined domestic and international initiatives being implemented to
target methamphetamine production and distribution.3 Methamphetamine
is a type of amphetamine.
The drug positivity
rate for the combined U.S. workforce, which is the number of positive test
results compared to the total number of drug tests performed by Quest
Diagnostics grew to 4.6% between January and June 2003, compared to 4.4% between
January and December 2002. The increase in drug use in the combined U.S.
workforce was a reflection of growing amphetamine use among general workforce
employees. Quest Diagnostics performed more than 3.4 million workplace drug
tests from January to June 2003.
Color graphics of the
Drug Testing Index, including regional maps which show positivity rates by type
of drug, are available on-line at www.questdiagnostics.com to provide more localized workplace drug test data.
The Drug Testing Index is released every six months as a service for government,
media and industry, and is considered a benchmark for national trends.
Quest Diagnostics
Incorporated is the nation's leading provider of diagnostic testing, information
and services, providing insights that enable healthcare professionals to make
decisions that improve health. The company offers the broadest access to
diagnostic testing services in the United States through its national network of
laboratories and patient service centers, and provides interpretive consultation
through its extensive medical and scientific staff. Quest Diagnostics is the
leading provider of esoteric testing, including gene-based medical testing, and
also empowers healthcare organizations and clinicians with state-of-the-art
connectivity solutions that improve patient care. Additional company information
is available at: www.questdiagnostics.com
1 The Drug Testing Index does not
differentiate between drug abuse and legitimate drug use.
2 Source: U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services and SAMHSA's National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug
Information, Drug Category Profile: Stimulants,
http://ncadi.samhsa.gov/govpubs/rpo926/.
3 DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration),
Congressional Testimony, Statement of Rogelio E. Guevara, Chief of Operations,
Drug Enforcement Administration Before the House Committee on Government Reform
Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug Policy and Human Resources, July 18,
2003.
The Drug Testing
Index © 2003 Quest Diagnostics Incorporated. All rights reserved.
Quest Diagnostics is the nation's leading provider of diagnostic
testing, information and services with annualized revenues of
more than $3 billion.
To
view "The 15 Elements of a Successful Drug-Free Workplace Program"
CLICK HERE
TEXT
DESCRIPTIONS and STREET NAMES of
ILLICIT
DRUGS- CLICK
HERE
CHEATING ON DRUG
TESTS- CLICK
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What every EMPLOYER/EMPLOYEE
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What every
PARENT/TEEN/YOUNG
ADULT
should know about drug-abuse in America.
*On-site
drug test specimen collections by a skilled Drug Test Technician (DTT) will also greatly reduce the incidence of "adulteration" or
"substitution" by drug-abusers attempting to cheat on their test.
Click
here to learn why.
The Drug Testing Index© 2000 Quest Diagnostics Incorporated.
All rights reserved.
Quest, Quest Diagnostics, and the associated
logo are registered trademarks, and all other marks, including
QuestDirect, are trademarks of Quest Diagnostics Incorporated. © 2000
Quest Diagnostics Incorporated.
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