ABSTRACT
The topic of substance abuse in the workplace is a realistic one. Young people become a part of the work force. To illustrate the enormity of the problem, this chapter argues that the most abused substances today are legal and acceptable to a majority of the population. These are nicotine, alcohol, and caffeine. Insurance coverage for alcohol and other drug treatment is provided by 60 percent of workplace-based policies. Drug users suffer from impaired memory, lethargy, and reduced coordination, which may be contributing to poor performance. The impact of substance abuse in the work force can and often does produce a wide range of consequences such as: family disruption; job dissatisfaction; limitation of career enhancement; and marriage dissolution or shattering. Drugs have been implicated in railway collisions and derailments, bus and heavy-equipment accidents, and poor product assembly.
