Poll Reveals Workers on Drugs

One in 10 Victorian employees have either taken a day off or gone to work feeling the effects of their drug use, according to a poll by the Australian Drug Foundation.

The poll was based on a sample of 1000 Victorian workers, and the drugs were identified as illegal drugs, synthetic drugs and un-prescribed pharmaceutical medications.

The Australian Drug Foundation said cannabis was the most commonly used illicit drug in Australia, with the most recent National Drug Strategy Household Survey finding that more than 20 per cent of 18-29-year-olds had used cannabis in the last 12 months.

The Australian Drug Foundation’s Head of Workplace Services, Phillip Collins, said weekend drug use could have a major impact on workplace productivity, performance, absenteeism and office health and safety.

Collins said that many workplaces were now looking to drug testing as a solution to ensure workers weren’t under the influence of drugs while at work – but he warns that employers should be wary.

“Drug testing isn’t the only solution, and simply will not work when delivered in isolation. All businesses need a formal workplace policy in conjunction with education, training and support programs,” he said.

“Feeling the after effects of weekend drug use can be just as problematic as being intoxicated on the job. Headaches, blurred vision, irritability, difficulty concentrating and extreme tiredness can all create organisational problems.

“Drugs and alcohol cost Australian businesses $6 billion a year in lost productivity and absenteeism alone. Then there’s the serious health and safety risks in the workplace, particularly where employees operate machinery or drive vehicles.”

The poll was funded by the Myra Stoicesco Charitable Fund.

The  Australian Drug Foundation is one of Australia’s leading bodies committed to preventing alcohol and other drug problems in communities around the nation.