Substance Abuse In The Workplace Essay

Substance abuse is a serious topic and starts affecting those as young as 15 years and older. Alcohol and drug use is becoming more and more prevalent each year. According to the World Health Organization, substance abuse is the act of consuming a harmful amount of hazardous drugs or the overindulgence of alcohol ("Substance Abuse." World Health Organization. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 May 2016). The more cases of abuse results in more abuse in the workplace. This report will touch on why people abuse in the workplace, who abuses, the signs of abuse, how it affects coworkers and those in the place of employment, and how to treat it. With over 14 million employees abusing drugs in the United States it is important to recognize the signs and terminate

The safety of those around the abuser is especially in danger because of the unpredictable factor. The unpredictable factor is not knowing how a person may act when buzzed or high. This factor puts all those around them in danger. In work places that control heavy equipment or deal with any kind of machinery the penalty can be even more sever. “Analyses of workplace fatalities showed that at least 11% of the victims had been drinking.” ("Working Partners - Statistics -Working Partners - Statistics - General Workplace Impact - SAPAA Substance Abuse Program Administrators Association. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 May 2016.) This statistic shows just how dangerous drinking on the job can affect your safety and the safety of those around you. “Furthermore, the impact of employee substance use and abuse is a problem that extends beyond the substance-using employee. There is evidence that co-worker job performance and attitudes are negatively affected. Workers have reported being put in danger, having been injured, or having had to work harder, to re-do work, or to cover for a co-worker as a result of a fellow employee’s drinking.” ("SAPAA Substance Abuse Program Administrators Association. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 May 2016.) Another result of drug and alcohol abuse is lack of motivation and decreasing work ethic. This is mostly caused from of the substance that is abused on the body, which relaxes muscles and decreases brain activity. It affects the workers around the abusers causing anxiety sometimes caused by the stress of confronting the abuser or the unpredictability of the employee. It affects customers by the unprofessionalism, and anxiety dealing with an abuser brings. Working in a public service job dealing with people day to day can deteriorate the view of the business by the person whose behavior is unacceptably unprofessional. For those who abuse may not consider all the affects it has not only on the person but