An analysis released by Quest Diagnostics Inc. reveals that the drug use in the workforce is at its highest rate in over a decade. In almost a third of United States industry sectors examined, drug positivity rose by double-digits.

Between 2015 and 2017 drug use in the workforce increased, particularly in five of 16 major industry sectors. This was the first analysis of industry-specific data performed by Quest Diagnostics, a medical diagnostics firm. They analyzed over 10 million workplace drug test results.

Retail Trade (5.3%), Health Care and Social Assistance (4.7%), and Real Estate Rental and Leasing (4.6%) had the highest overall positivity rates in 2017. Utilities (2.8%) and Finance and Insurance (2.6%) had the lowest rates. Five sectors experienced year-over-year increases with a double-digit increase in their positivity rates between 2015 and 2017.

“Our analysis suggests that employers can’t assume that workforce drug use isn’t an issue in their industry. In fact, drug test positivity in the majority of industry sectors analyzed is growing,” said Barry Sample, PhD, senior director, science and technology, Quest Diagnostics Employer Solutions. “The highest rates were in consumer-facing industries, including jobs in Retail and Health Care and Social Assistance.”

Marijuana was the most commonly detected substance, with the highest drug positivity rate across most industries. The amphetamine positivity rate grew almost 14% between 2015 and 2017 in the Educational Services sector and 16% in the Health Care and Social Assistance Sector. Methamphetamine positivity was highest in the Construction sector, experiencing an increase of 15% between 2015 and 2017. Cocaine experienced significant increases in positivity in the Retail Trade, Administrative Support, Waste Management and Remediation Services, and the Transportation and Warehousing sectors.

They found that cocaine, amphetamine and methamphetamine positivity was higher in most sectors in 2017 compared to 2015.

Read more from Quest Diagnostics.