PRESCRIPTION DRUG USE HAS REACHED AN ALL TIME HIGH

The US makes up 5 percent of the world’s population and consumes approximately 80 percent of the world’s prescription opioid drugs.Many people take prescription medications responsibly, however, an estimated 18 million people have misused such medications at least once in the past year.

What is prescription drug abuse?

Prescription drug abuse includes everything from taking someone else’s prescription painkiller for your backache to snorting or injecting ground-up pills to get high. Drug abuse can become ongoing and compulsive, despite the negative consequences.

Signs and symptoms of prescription drug abuse

Signs and symptoms of prescription drug abuse often depend on the specific drug. Prescription drugs that are most commonly abused:

Opioids, which are used to treat pain, for example, medications containing oxycodone — such as Oxycontin and Percocet and those containing hydrocodone like Norco.

Anti-anxiety medications and sedatives used in treating anxiety and sleep disorders, including Xanax and Valium, and hypnotics, such as zolpidem Ambien.

Stimulants, like Ritalin, Concerta, others, Adderall XR, Mydayis, Dexedrine, used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and certain sleep disorders.

The effects of prescription drugs

Use of prescription drugs can cause drowsiness, confusion, poor coordination, problems with memory. Potential consequences of prescription drug use:

• Risky behaviors because of poor judgment
• Motor vehicle accidents
• Decreased academic or work performance.

Employers are combating Opioid Misuse among employees

The opioid crisis damages the American economy and potentially impairing the health and productivity of your employees. According to the National Safety Council, employees who abuse prescription drugs are two to five times more likely to have unexcused absences, be late for work, get injured or become violent on the job, file workers’ compensation claims, and quit or be fired within one year of employment.

Opioid misuse accounts for:

• $10 billion per year in lost productivity and employee absenteeism.
• $15,000 in per-patient incremental annual health care costs.
• Twenty-five percent of all workers’ compensation costs.

Many employers have preventative drug-free workplace policies and are implementing pre-employment and post-accident drug testing. Urinalysis is the only testing method that is approved for federally-mandated testing. It’s also the least invasive and most legally acceptable form of employment drug testing.

American Drug Test offers many products to support pre-employment drug testing such as drug testing panels and dip cards, hair drug tests, saliva drug tests, and urine collection specimen cups.  Twelve panel drug test cups and dip cards are among the most popular in the United States.

We are an FDA approved manufacturer and distribute a wide range of rapid drug testing supplies in the U.S. American Drug Test has over 30 years of drug testing, medical sales experience, and the knowledge and resources necessary to support any industry.