Last month, drug-testing firm Quest Diagnostics scientist Barry Sample had a serious warning for U.S. employers: Be on the lookout for marijuana use by your workers. It’s on the rise.
“Our in-depth analysis shows that marijuana is not only present in our workforce, but use continues to increase,” said Sample, Quest’s director of science and technology. “As marijuana policy changes, and employers consider strategies to protect their employees, customers and general public, employers should weigh the risks that drug use, including marijuana, poses to their businesses.”
Indeed, an analysis of 10 million drug tests Quest administered in 2018 concluded that every segment of overall workforce is increasingly flunking lab drug tests for marijuana. Also, Sample noted, attempts to cheat on drug tests are on the rise. Those tested include federal safety-sensitive transportation workers, which include truck drivers.