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More and more workers are cheating on drug tests, according to new data from Quest Diagnostics, with tampering rates reaching a 30-year high in 2023.
After analyzing nearly 9.8 million workforce drug tests conducted last year, the Secaucus-based testing provider reported a higher percentage of substituted or invalid urine specimens. That indicates a sample had likely been tampered with to conceal drug use.
Between 2022 and 2023, Quest found a 633% increase in the number of tests involving substituted urine. According to the company, more than 6,000 specimens collected last year had urine that either belonged to an animal, another human being or was synthetic urine purchased online.
An additional 25,000 tests came back as “invalid,” marking a 45% uptick from the previous year. Those tests include samples with additives used to cover up drug use, according to Quest.
Whether the samples are determined as substituted or invalid, Quest said it categorizes both as failed drug tests. That can result in employees facing disciplinary action or job loss.
New ‘highs’
According to Quest, the overall drug positivity rate is at its highest level in more than two decades. Among the general workforce, 5.7% tested positive.
In the U.S., recreational cannabis is legal in 24 states. About 4.5% of positive drug tests involved marijuana, a 4.3% increase from 2022. After marijuana, the most flagged drugs were cocaine and amphetamines.
Quest Senior Director of Science for Workforce Health Solutions Dr. Suhash Harwani observed, “Given the growing acceptance and use of some drugs, particularly marijuana, it may be unsurprising that some people feel it necessary to try and cheat a drug test. It is possible that our society’s normalization of drug use is fostering environments in which some employees feel it is acceptable to use such drugs without truly understanding the impact they have on workplace safety.”
He also believes the increased rate of both substituted and invalid specimens “indicates that some American workers are going to great lengths to attempt to subvert the drug testing process.”
A white collar increase
In the federally mandated safety-sensitive workforce the report found that positive marijuana tests declined 3.1% from the prior year. Those positions include pilots and truck drivers.
Harwani believes this particular population has a lower rate of positivity “due to the fact that there is decreased drug use when there is an expectation of being drug tested.”
“This is fundamentally the strength of having a drug testing program. The mere expectation of drug testing may be a deterrent, dissuading individuals from both drug use and applying for positions where such tests are standard practice,” said Harwani.
Among non-safety-sensitive workers, positive drug tests increased. That was especially true in industries associated with office work, such as administrative, managerial and clerical tasks.
According to Quest, the rate grew:
- 17% in real estate & lending
- 9.3% in professional, scientific & technical services
- 7.9% in educational services
- 5% in public administration
Meanwhile, marijuana positivity rose in 13 out of 15 industries, led by finance & insurance’s 35.7% increase. Public administration and real estate also saw jumps of 23.5% and 22.2%, respectively.
Tests for marijuana after a workplace accident also climbed. According to Quest, 7.5% of those tested for marijuana after an accident were positive. That number has been on the rise ever since 2015, the provider said.
Quest Vice President and General Manager, Workforce Health Solutions Sam Sphar commented, “It isn’t clear why we’re seeing an increase in overall and marijuana drug positivity in office workers, but it isn’t a stretch that a combination of unprecedented stress and isolation during the pandemic with work-from-home policies during and post-pandemic may be contributing to greater drug use in employees in traditionally white-collar fields.”
“The results underscore the growing need for mental health support and drug education programs to ensure employees are safe and productive, whether working at home or in the office,” Sphar stated.
Room for improvement
Some experts expressed concern about the findings, saying it points to a need to improve drug testing policies and procedures.
Katie Mueller is a senior program manager at the National Safety Council focusing on cannabis safety. “As the prevalence of marijuana positives in the workforce rises, our concern grows. The data show an increasing correlation between marijuana use and adverse workplace effects, prompting a call for heightened vigilance and comprehensive strategies to safeguard workplace safety and productivity,” she stated.
Harwani agreed, saying, “Most employers are highly focused on productivity, which can be achieved by improving workforce health and wellness. A well-executed drug testing program can help an organization to maintain a healthier a workforce which, based on our data, could decrease the potential for accidents or other unsafe behaviors.”
Quest’s report syncs up with other studies associating marijuana legalization with workplace harms.
A February 2024 analysis published in the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that recreational marijuana sales were associated with a 10% increase in injuries on the job among people aged 20 to 34.
