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Almost 10 percent of full time workers in the U.S. have drug or alcohol abuse problems serious enough to require drug or alcohol detox and, possibly, rehab, according to an article in the Atlanta Journal Constitution. This percentage represents over 10 million people.

The article goes on to say that food service employees, construction workers, and people who worked in mining and similar jobs are at the top of the list, but nearly 8 percent of corporate CEO’s also said they are alcohol dependent.

The study, conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration, also showed that employers who utilize drug testing are less likely to have problems.

As a former addict, I can say that drug testing certainly would have deterred me. I may have lost some jobs, but I like to think that I would have stayed away from drugs rather than being fired.

Getting an employee through a drug or alcohol detox program can cost far less than the lost productivity that inevitably comes with the territory, especially since these programs are often covered by insurance. But you have to ensure the employee does a program that doesn’t substitute one drug for another, or put the person on a drug rather than alcohol.

Although it might be necessary for the person to take a drug to alleviate withdrawal symptoms, they should definitely not be taking that drug when they leave.

If you are, or have, an employee with a drug or alcohol abuse problem, getting them into a successful drug and alcohol detox program will increase your productivity, and save their lives.

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