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Are you considering employee drug testing? Three questions to ask first

Here are three questions employers should ask to ensure that their anti-drug policies are as effective as possible and help minimize workplace injuries.

By Thomas F. Ryan | Updated on August 24, 2015
When implementing a drug-testing policy, employers have several testing methods from which to choose. (Photo: Shutterstock/cozyta)

You may be able to legally use marijuana for medical and recreational purposes in some states, but the drug is still not welcome in the workplace. And federal laws and regulations still require that employers keep illicit drugs out of the workplace, state laws notwithstanding. Employers across the country are also concerned that substance-using employees may harm themselves and others, so there are several incentives to maintain drug-free workplaces.

But keeping marijuana and other drugs out of the workplace is easier said than done. More than 9% of people over the age of 12 reported using illicit drugs in the past month, up from 8% in 2007, according to the 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. And the percentage of American workers testing positive for illicit drug use in employers’ urine tests increased in both 2013 and 2014, according to Quest Diagnostics.

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