Alcohol And Drug Abuse In The Workplace

These days there has been a drastic increase in the number of drug and alcohol abuses cases at the workplace. However help is easily available for people who suffer from it and also those who have been affected by the same. It is known that drug and alcohol abuse is by no means a new problem and there have been various instances through history, when the there have been movements to address substance abuse and its effects. These include some of early temperance movements and those including prohibition in the United States.

Apart from this there had also been the banning of absinthe and various campaigns against drug producers and traffickers. There have been increasingly vigorous measures being taken against drinking and driving in recent times and this has lead to some important developments. There have been various kinds of supportive institutes and NGO's was being set up to cater to these problems. The growing realization in many countries about drug and alcohol abuse at workplace has become an important issue.

There are various kinds of workplace issues and problems that people deal with and these issues of drug and alcohol abuse at the workplace are a big problem. Traditionally this abuse problem had been met by a dismissive attitude and there had also been the reflex of trying to sweep the problem under the carpet. These methodologies had been based on moral precepts instead of concern for the health issues involved.

However the issues of drug and alcohol abuse at the workplace is not a problem which can be isolated from it. On the contrary, the issue needs to be dealt with at a wider horizon and though it is universally understood that substance abuse is harmful, for the enterprises and workers, a solution needs to be devised for the same. The factors of drug and alcohol abuse are therefore prejudicial to national and international competitiveness.

Drug and alcohol abuse are major factors in accidents, absenteeism and illnesses and hence they affect work performance in general, but also results in higher rates of the above mentioned problems along with mortality. It has been seen that absenteeism is two to three times higher for people suffering from drug and alcohol addiction. Those employees who had chemical dependence problems or related to these abuses are more prone to accidents.

A greater amount of knowledge is required to tackle these problems of the workplace, which are being associated with substance abuse and are not confined to alcoholics and drug addicts. The alcoholics and other heavy drinkers cause accidents at the workplace also and may risk other workers with temper tantrums. The problem of drug abuse and alcohol abuse exists at many workplaces and there are options where the employees are tested for both.

These tests help in evaluating the employees who have been into such forms of abuses but also help to reduce the number of employees or new employees who have been diagnosed with these problems. Apart from this counseling at work and therapy can help in getting rid of the problems of alcohol and drug abuse at work.

• Matt Thompson
• 16/04/2009, 4:59 PM
• 0 Comments