Drug problem not limited to Fayette
I’d like to thank you for drawing attention to an issue that is confronting not just Fayette County, but the entire Commonwealth and nation — the proliferation of both drug use and pre-employment drug testing.
During a recent Fayette Chamber event, I drew attention to the fact that a number of local people are not being selected for jobs in the Marcellus shale natural gas industry because mandatory drug testing is being required of applicants.
I learned this information following discussions with individuals and stakeholders in the industry, as well as during conversations with key state officials who are tracking the industry.
Because this is a personnel issue that involves personal information submitted for employment, it must be kept confidential.
The reality is that more and more companies today are employing mandatory drug testing, which can screen for such controlled substances as marijuana, cocaine, Phencyclidine (PCP), opiates, morphine, codeine and amphetamines.
Some testing will pick up benzodiazepines, which are found in tranquilizers such as Valium, Librium and Xanax.
This testing impacts every type of employment today. It is estimated that 98 percent of Fortune 200 companies have implemented pre-employment drug testing.
Is drug use a real issue? You can consult any number of national studies on drug use in America and will read that drug use (including alcohol consumption) is on the rise.
The U.S. Department of Labor and Industry estimates drug use in the workplace costs employers up to $100 billion annually in lost work time, accidents, health care costs and workers’ compensation costs. This offers perhaps the best explanation for the proliferation of pre-employment drug testing.
So, was my statement to the chamber based on fact? It was based on anecdotal information that I garnered from various meetings and conversations. It was not a statement on Fayette County or the people who live there.
National studies indicate drug use is on the rise. This, coupled with a new emphasis on pre-employment drug testing, will mean that more people need to be aware of what they will face when they seek employment in any number of industries.
State Rep. Peter J. Daley II represents the 49th legislative district, which includes parts of Fayette and Washington counties.