Marijuana use among U.S. workers continues to rise, reflecting the broader trend of state legalization for medical and recreational use.
The percentage of employees testing positive for marijuana in the general workforce grew to 4.5% in 2023, up from 4.3% in 2022 and 3.1% in 2019, according to data from Quest Diagnostics.
Quest, which conducted 8.4 million urine-based drug tests in 2023, also reported a significant increase in cheating. Some workers are attempting to beat drug screens by using synthetic urine or tampering with their samples.
The number of substituted samples rose to its highest level in over three decades, with about 6,000 urine specimens flagged as substituted—six times more than the previous year.
Additionally, around 25,000 drug tests were deemed invalid in 2023 due to additives mixed into the urine to mask drug use, marking a 45% increase from the prior year.
While overall drug use detected in the workplace has remained steady at 4.6% since 2020, marijuana remains the most frequently detected substance.
It’s followed by amphetamines and opiates, with opiate positivity on a downward trend. Experts attribute the rise in marijuana positivity to increasing societal acceptance and state-level legalization.
Currently, two dozen states and Washington, D.C., allow recreational marijuana use, although it remains classified as a Schedule I drug at the federal level.
The Biden administration is considering reclassifying it to Schedule III, which would lessen its legal restrictions.
The rise in positive marijuana tests has been particularly noticeable in white-collar industries.
Marijuana positivity rates increased in 13 out of 15 sectors, with finance and insurance leading the way at over 35%, followed by public administration and real estate, which saw increases of nearly 24% and 22%, respectively.
Although the surge in cheating is concerning, experts like attorney Kathryn Russo note that it’s not surprising given the growing number of people using marijuana.
Employers are increasingly questioning whether to continue testing for marijuana at all. Many are moving toward only testing when there’s suspicion of impairment on the job, rather than for pre-employment or random screening.
The potential reclassification of marijuana to a Schedule III drug could create further challenges for employers, particularly regarding how they handle drug-testing policies.
However, any changes would take time, and marijuana would still likely be regulated similarly to prescription drugs.
For now, employers are navigating a complex regulatory landscape, balancing state laws with federal regulations, while trying to maintain drug-free workplaces.
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