Pubdate: Wed, 06 Apr 1999
Source: Omaha World-Herald (NE)
Copyright: 1999 Omaha World-Herald Company.
Contact:  http://www.omaha.com/
Forum: http://chat.omaha.com/

IOWA REPORT: 1 IN 25 WORKERS SHOWED EVIDENCE OF DRUG USE

Iowa's first drug-in-the-workplace report says that about 1 in 25 workers
tested last year showed evidence of drug use.

According to the report by the Iowa Public Health Department, private
employers in 1998 conducted 31,740 drug tests on workers or job applicants,
and 1,379 - or 4.3 percent - indicated traces of drugs.

The report is the first of what will become an annual statistical
accounting required by state law.

The report does not include results of federally mandated tests of workers
in the transportation industry. Tests for alcohol use also are not included.

Iowa's findings are consistent to the national rate measured by the Smith-
Kline Beecham Drug Testing Index for 1998.

According to the SmithKline index, which conducted 5.7 million workplace
tests last year, 4.8 percent indicated drug use.

According to the Iowa report, marijuana was the most commonly discovered
drug in positive tests.

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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart