William Current: Drug abuse in the gaming industry

Tuesday, September 1, 2009  

"The federal government estimates that approximately three-quarters of all illicit drug users 18 and older are employed. This information is according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s “2007 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.” One industry often identified for having a high rate of illicit drug users is the gaming industry.

In a 2007 report issued by SAMHSA, 10.4 percent of full-time workers in the “Amusement, Gambling and Recreation Industries” admit to “past-month” illicit drug use; almost 15.4 percent admitted to being “heavy” alcohol users, as reported on the U.S. Department of Labor’s Substance Abuse Information Database Web site.

The same report also shows high levels of substance abuse among workers who service the gaming industry such as “Repair and Maintenance” workers (11.6 percent past-month illicit drug use and 15.3 percent heavy alcohol use), workers in “Food Services” and “Drinking Places” (18.4 percent past-month illicit drug use and 12.8 percent heavy alcohol use), and “Landscaping” workers (14.4 percent past-month illicit drug use and 16.5 percent heavy alcohol use).

Substance abusing workers tend not to be good employees. A compelling study by the U.S. Postal Service found that substance abusers, when compared to non-substance abusing coworkers, are involved in 55 percent more accidents, and sustain 85 percent more on-the-job injuries according to the SAID Web site.

The National Safety Council reported that 80 percent of those injured in “serious” drug-related accidents at work are not the drug abusing employees but innocent coworkers and others."

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William F. Current: Drug abuse in the gaming industry (Indian Country Toady 9/1)