Record number of employees testing positive for marijuana: study

9 to 5? It’s about 9:00 to 4:20.

U.S. workers’ marijuana use will reach a “historic” high in 2022, according to a study released Thursday. quest diagnosis.

The lab company will analyze the urine tests of more than 6 million general workers in 2022 and determine that 4.3% tested positive for cannabis, up from 3.9% in 2021.

This represents the highest number of positive marijuana test results recorded by Quest, which began analyzing workplace drug test data in 1988.

Quest also revealed that 7.3% of workers with workplace injuries will test positive for marijuana in 2022, up from 6.7% in 2021 and the highest positive rate in 25 years. bottom.

“This historic increase appears to coincide with a sharp increase in marijuana positive rates in pre-employment and post-accident drug tests, suggesting that changing societal attitudes to marijuana may influence workplace behavior. It suggests that there is potential,” said Keith Ward, general manager and vice president of employer affairs. He said in a statement that Quest would come up with a solution.

According to Quest, the industries with the biggest increases in positive rates over the past five years are: Hospitality and food service (42.9% increase). Retail (42.6%); and Finance/Insurance (38.5%).

Marijuana was the most commonly detected drug in drug tests, but amphetamines also tested positive, rising from 1.3% in 2021 to 1.5% last year.

“Given the potential for addiction and health risks associated with this class of drugs, the rise in amphetamine positives is also notable,” said Ward, noting that the company’s data on amphetamines distinguishes between prescription and illicit drug use. pointed out that it is not.

Suhash Halwani, Ph.D., Senior Director of Employer Solutions Science at Quest, noted a correlation between positive rates and states that have legalized recreational and medical cannabis.

Twenty-two states, two territories and the District of Columbia have enacted measures to regulate adult non-medical use of cannabis, and 38 states, three territories and Washington, D.C. permit medical use of cannabis products. . According to the National Congress of State Legislatures.

“In the general U.S. workforce, states that have legalized recreational and medical cannabis use have higher positive rates than the national average. States that have not legalized marijuana have higher positive rates than the national average. It appears to be below,” Halwani said in a statement.