Marijuana rates up among workers during pandemic

Although the number of positive workforce tests for most drugs declined or remained flat during the pandemic, positive tests for marijuana were up.

“Driven largely by surging rates of marijuana general U.S. workforce positives and steady rates of amphetamines positives, the rate of drug positivity remained stubbornly high despite seismic shifts to the workplace caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Barry Sample, Ph.D., senior director of science and technology for Quest Diagnostics. “However, as we see upticks in hiring and many employees returning to the workplace, it is important that employers consider workforce drug testing as a way to keep the workplace, their customers and the community safe.”

The newly released Quest Diagnostics Drug Testing Index found that the overall positivity rate in the combined U.S. workforce, based on more than seven million urine drug tests collected between January and December 2020, was down only slightly in 2020 (4.4%) compared to 2019. Positivity in the federally mandated, safety-sensitive workforce based on more than two million urine drug tests declined 8.3%. In the general U.S. workforce, positivity increased 3.8% and was 12.2% higher than in 2016.

Among the other findings:

• Positivity was down or flat for most drug categories but increased for ecstasy.
• Positivity rates declined in federally mandated, safety-sensitive workforce testing categories.
• Marijuana continued double-digit year-over-year increases in the general U.S. workforce, with lower positivity rates in states with only medical marijuana use or no form of legalized marijuana use vs. states with legalized recreational statutes.
• The positivity rate of post-accident test results grew faster than the rate of positivity for pre-employment testing. Cocaine positivity was the lowest since 2012 for the general U.S. workforce.
• Workforce positivity increased significantly in multiple industries, led by retail, accommodations and food service.

“Impairment, whether it be by drugs, alcohol, fatigue or stress, decreases the safety of the workforce,” said Jenny Burke, senior director of impairment practice for the National Safety Council. “The Drug Test Index results, reflecting decreases in many drug categories, occurred in a unique year. Even though these are down, we must continue to educate people about the impairing impacts of these substances. And as states and the federal government consider changes to the legality of marijuana, we can’t take for granted that they also understand the impairing impact of THC. The safety of people who share the roadways and workplaces with impaired people needs to be a priority.”