Fewer US Workers
Using Cocaine
[Posted 8/13/07]
A special mid-year report from
Quest Diagnostics, a supplier of workplace drug
testing services, showed a significant decline in
cocaine use by American workers during the first six
months of 2007. The findings were based on the
results of more than 4.4 million drug tests across
the combined US workforce that includes both
federally-mandated safety-sensitive workers and
non-mandated workers.
According to the report
Quest Diagnostics Drug Testing Index: Cocaine Use
Among Americas WorkersA Special 2007 Mid-Year
Report released on August 9, 2007, the positive
test result rate of 0.58% for cocaine in the first
half of 2007 was 15.9% lower than the 0.69%
positive rate for all of 2006, and represented the
lowest rate since 1997 when Quest first reported on
such testing. The highest decline (21.9%) occurred
in the New England states; the lowest decline
(9.5%) in the north central states.
While it is too soon to
point to a trend, the significant decline in positivity rates in different workforce categories
and across regions may suggest that our nations
workers are choosing not to use cocaine or that
they lack access to the drug, Barry Sample, PhD,
director of Science and Technology for the Employer
Solutions division of Quest Diagnostics said in a
prepared statement.
These data are
encouraging,
said John Walters, director of US National Drug
Control Policy.
Related Links:
Quest Diagnostics Press Release
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