A recent article published by a leading safety advocacy organization focuses on the rise in prescription drug abuse and what impact the trend has on the nation’s workplaces.   

Prescription for a Deadly Addiction, which appeared in the June issue of the National Safety Council’s (NSC) Safety+Health magazine, cites that from 1996-2006 sales of prescription painkillers increased by nearly 600 percent, and that during that time, deaths from unintentional drug poisoning skyrocketed at a nearly identical rate.  The highest rate of such deaths was among those of prime working age—25 to 64 years old—with those on the older end of the spectrum most represented. 

NSC published the article as part of its 2008 National Safety Month campaign, during which one week was dedicated to raising awareness about poisoning hazards, both in and outside of the workplace.  According to the article, explanations for the drastic increase in prescription drug abuse vary.  Some theorize that it is a paradoxical result of workplace drug-testing programs designed to deter and detect abuse of conventional drugs.  Such programs usually test for only illegal drugs such as marijuana and cocaine, not prescription painkillers. 

Data from the latest National Survey on Drug Use and Health do reveal an increase in prescription drug abuse.  In 2006, 2.8 percent (7 million) of Americans reported use of prescription-type psychotherapeutic drugs non-medically in the past month.  Of these, 5.2 million used pain relievers, an increase from 4.7 million in 2005.  Furthermore, past month non-medical use of prescription-type drugs among young adults increased from 5.4 percent in 2002 to 6.4 percent in 2006.

The article notes that abuse of prescription drugs often stems from legitimate use of prescription drugs.  Patients may become addicted and take more than the prescribed dose and/or visit multiple doctors to get more prescriptions.  It also notes that there is some data indicating that prescription drug abuse is indeed a problem among workers, and perhaps more so in some industries than others.  One investigation revealed that of the 645 people who died from prescription drugs in 2005 and 2006 in the Tampa Bay, FL region, the majority worked in manual labor, the service industry or the medical field.

To date, there has not been a lot of research into the impact of such individuals’ behavior on workplace safety.  However, a committee that researched the issue among truck-drivers found no scientific evidence suggesting that prescription drugs caused an increase in crashes.  Some data did indicate an increased risk among drivers who had just begun taking oxycodone, but only for the first day.  But research conducted previously does show a positive correlation between use of conventional illegal drugs and accidents, injuries and fatalities.  Drug abuse is also known to cause problems in other areas of work life, including absenteeism and tardiness. 

The article notes that drug-free workplace programs offer an avenue for employers and employees to educate about and prevent prescription drug abuse.  However, when such programs include drug testing, inclusion of prescription drugs does create challenges in order to ensure workers using such drugs in authorized manner under a doctor’s prescription are not penalized and privacy issues are taken into consideration. 

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Working Partners Web site offers a variety of tools and resources to help employers and employees to work together to prevent the hazards associated with the abuse of drugs, prescription or otherwise.