Positive Drug Tests Vary by Industry

Quest Diagnostics, a nationwide medical testing firm, recently released a report summarizing employment drug testing results by industry. The statistics are from 2017 and the overall positive drug test rate across all industries stood at 4.2%, up from 3.6%, a decade earlier. Connecticut’s average was slightly higher at 4.5%.

The top three industries with positive test results were retail (5.3%), health care and social assistance (4.7%), and real estate rental and leasing (4.6%). Conversely, industries with the lowest rates were utilities (2.8%), and finance and insurance (2.6%).

Marijuana was the most commonly found drug at 2.6% and was clearly the favored substance in the food and accommodation industry (3.5%).  In addition, opiate, cocaine and amphetamine use rose from 2015 to 2017, while heroin use declined slightly.

Drug use is still a concern for employers and the trend toward greater medical and recreational marijuana use will continue to add more complexity to the enforcement of drug testing and bans in the workplace.