Employment drug testing laws vary drastically from state to state in the United States. The most used substances vary, as do the levels of legality in different regions. Last year, more than 500 bills related to drug testing were introduced in an attempt to keep up with the legalization of several drugs, namely marijuana. Recreationally in over 20 states and medically in nearly 40, marijuana has been deemed legal. However, linked to this has been a 45.2% increase in positive marijuana tests over the past 5 years. This uptick can have serious implications for industries, especially those that require manual labor and the operation of heavy machinery. Research has even shown that recreational marijuana usage laws are associated with a 10% increase in workplace injuries for young professionals.
This research has led to a major crackdown on drug test cheating. Whether it be due to reasonable suspicion, following an accident, the return to duty, or even pre-employment, there has been a 6x increase in tampered test samples between 2022 and 2023. Leaders across all industries are working to put a stop to this cheating, mitigating the risk of drug use in the workplace and preparing their employees to work safely alongside our evolving legislation in the United States.
Source: USDrugTestCenters.com