Under what conditions should a company be allowed to test its employees for drugs.

The problem of drug abuse in the United States has been a dilemma of repeatedly rising proportions. The crisis is one, which has as much significance for industry as it does for law enforcement, health and welfare agencies charged with the liability for controlling drug abuse. As indicated by a study done for the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP), three of four firms with 100 employees or more may have a drug or alcohol abuse …

…that use drugs and/or are alcohol abusers. No matter what size the employer, nor the extent of the testing programs, responsible employers should execute safety measures that increase the accuracy and reduce the intrusiveness of workplace drug testing. Reference: www.stormingmedia.us, "Statistics of the Deterrence Effects of the Drug Testing Policies." www.oasas.state.ny.us, Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS). www.samhsa.gov/csap, Center for Substance Abuse Prevention