Dr. Tom Frieden – Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recently referred to opioid abuse as “a growing epidemic that is gripping our country,” this includes prescription painkillers.

A first survey of its kind which was conducted by the National Safety Council (NSC), in collaboration with Indiana’s attorney general found that 80 percent of Indiana employers have been impacted by prescription drug use and abuse by its employees.

Deborah Hersman – president and CEO of the NSC says that “We would expect very similar results in many states,” “This is not a local problem; this is a national problem.”

Millions of Americans are addicted to opioids, and with that the death rate of opioid addiction has tripled since 2010.

The exact economic cost that opioid abuse has taken on the country cannot be quantified exactly, but it is estimated that the toll is somewhere in area of $60 billion dollars, half of that is attributed to workplace costs including loss of productivity.

Two-thirds of employers believe that prescription drug abuse causes more problems than illegal drug use.  It should also be noted that only about half of employers have an actual written policy on the use of prescription drugs in the workplace.

Indiana based engine manufacturer Cummins’ chief medical director – Dexter Shurney M.D. says “We recognize drug overuse as an issue in American workplaces.”

Shurney has gone on record to say that the problems that arise from painkiller abuse are very similar to problems that occur with alcohol abuse.  Cummins believes that safety programs to improve employee safety have to include substance abuse of all kinds.

Cummins believes that zero workplace incidents is the only ethically responsible target, and that it is their duty to protect employees from harming themselves or fellow co-workers.  It is also a fact that healthy employees miss fewer days of work and are more productive when at work.

The NSC is also recommending that employers expand drug testing to test for opioids.  The survey found that 87% of employers conduct drug testing, yet only 52% test for opioids.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that $72.5 billion is spent annually on direct health care costs for the non-medical use of prescription painkillers.

Source: National Safety Council