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Frontline Supervisor: Alcohol and the Workplace

Q. My employee was unable to stick with a treatment program for alcoholism. Unfortunately, the employee’s job was lost due to the relapse. Why do some employees recover while others do not? I can’t help but think the relapse was somehow partly my fault.

The Implications of Marijuana Legalization

The question of the enactment of laws regarding the legalization of marijuana has captured the attention of many throughout the country during the past few years. The Federal Office of National Drug Policy published a 2010 fact sheet outlining the pros and cons – mostly cons – of what marijuana legalization would mean to the country. 

Heroin Abuse and Addiction

Heroin use has increased in the suburbs, with women and those with higher incomes. The use of heroin has doubled among those 18-25 years old. There is a heroin epidemic in the St. Louis region due to being in close proximity to Chicago, decreased cost and increased availability in the powder form. Heroin addiction can be difficult to stop. Addiction can start gradually for some, or for others it can be immediate.

Frontline Supervisor: Substance Abuse in the Workplace

Q. Periodically, we have employees incur back injuries on the job. Some get pain medications, which I know can be addicting. Although I haven’t noticed any employees affected by drug dependency, what are the symptoms? 

The Epidemic of Prescription Drug Abuse

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has classified prescription drug abuse as an epidemic. While there has been a marked decrease in the use of some illegal drugs like cocaine, data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health show that nearly one-third of people aged 12 and over who used drugs for the first time began by using a prescription drug non-medically.

Frontline Supervisor: Alcohol and Your Employees

Q. I am a skeptic who believes that alcoholics can’t learn to quit drinking. Aren’t success rates from treatment programs overblown? My father drank until his last days, and there were a lot of incidents that should have motivated him to quit.

Working Under the Influence: An Accident Waiting to Happen

The workplace is not immune to drug abuse. In fact, most substance abusers are employed. In a survey of callers to the national cocaine hotline, 18 percent confessed to stealing from coworkers to support their addiction, and 64 percent admitted that their drug use negatively affected their performance.

How to Talk With Kids About Alcohol and Drugs

The issue of drugs can be very confusing to young children. If drugs are so dangerous, then why is the family medicine cabinet full of them? And why do TV, movies, music and advertising often make drug and alcohol use look so cool?

Frontline Supervisor: Substance Abuse and the Workplace

Q. One of our reputable employees was hospitalized and later shared his story of addiction to heroin. I was floored. The employee never showed any symptoms and didn’t look anything like a street person. There was an absenteeism problem, but I never dreamed it was drugs. Is this rare?

Frontline Supervisor: Substance Abuse

Q. My employee, who has a commercial driver’s license, reportedly told another coworker he knows how to beat a drug test. All drivers participate in the drug screening program, and we have never had a positive test. What should I do, and how worried should I be?