Pubdate: Fri, 19 May 2000 Source: St. Petersburg Times (FL) Copyright: 2000 St. Petersburg Times Contact: http://www.sptimes.com/ Forum: http://www.sptimes.com/Interact.html Section: Opinion, page 19A Author: Calvina L. Fay WE SHOULD TRY TO LIMIT DRUGS' HARM Re: Put it to the test, May 1. Your editorial on attempts to update Florida's drug-free workplace regulations was both perplexing and flawed. As a noted authority on drug-free workplace programs, with 20 years' experience in this area, I found your venomous indictment of this prevention tool excessive and in defiance of reality. Attempts to limit the harm that alcohol and other drug use inflicts on businesses and non-drug using employees are both prudent and justifiable. Small wonder that Rep. Evelyn Lynn, R-Ormond Beach,and other members of the House sought to improve and expand a program designed to reduce drug use and assist Florida companies and employees. They should be commended, not panned. Contrary to your comment, there has been no credible research conducted which would support your assertion that off-the-job drug use is not a significant factor in worker safety or productivity. To the contrary, many case studies based on the experiences of individual companies have shown significant, ongoing reductions in accidents, filing of workers' compensation claims, thefts, liability costs, absenteeism, etc. after they adopted drug-free workplaces. A scientific study of airline pilots proved conclusively that impairment lasted beyond 24 hours after smoking just one marijuana joint. Are you suggesting that it is okay for our pilots to smoke a joint at night and then fly our planes the next morning? >From a workplace perspective, one of the most daunting aspects about marijuana is the potential for users to be involved in accidents. A study conducted at the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services tested 1,023 emergency room patients with major trauma injuries during a given time frame for the presence of marijuana and alcohol. Marijuana was found in 34.7 percent of the patients and alcohol was present in 33.5 percent. The use of marijuana and alcohol in combination was found in 16.5 percent of the patients, compared with marijuana alone (18.3 percent) and alcohol alone (16.1 percent). It should be noted that nearly 10 times more people are current users of alcohol as are current marijuana users, yet marijuana played a higher role than alcohol in these injuries. The Department of Insurance should research the benefits of offering increased discounts for companies that qualify as Florida drug-free workplaces. Based on the findings of the studies I mentioned, such a cost-benefit analysis would almost surely justify an increased discount for and expansion of the protections afforded by Florida's drug-free workplace program. Additionally, your casual reference to employees who use drugs off the job simply being less than upright citizens ignores that the fact that they are engaging in unhealthy, illegal behavior. After all, a company has a right to expect its employees to be law-abiding citizens. Calvina L. Fay is the executive director, Drug Free American Foundation Inc., St. Petersburg - --- MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart