Employers told to be vigilant, review their workplace policies
Opioid detection in workplace drug tests has gone up in the second quarter of the year, with employers urged to take a hard look at their policies amid substance misuse.
The latest Imperans report from The Drug Detection Agency (TDDA) saw overall positivity rates holding steady at 3.31%.
However, opioids accounted for 18.9% of all positive results, up 1.5 percentage points from the first quarter.
Opioids refer to a broad group of medicines aimed at reducing moderate to severe pain. Tramadol, an opioid analgesic, made up 3.1% of detections.
"The rise in opioid detections, including tramadol positives, is a clear sign that employers must stay vigilant," said Glenn Dobson, CEO of the TDDA, in a statement.
"Businesses need to rapidly address any gaps in awareness on prescription opioids such as tramadol, especially in the Bay of Plenty and Auckland East where we're seeing sharp upticks."
Cannabis, amphetamine detections
Meanwhile, cannabis remained the most dominant substance detected in workplace drug tests, accounting for 63.3% of positive tests, down 5.4% from the previous quarter.
Amphetamine-type substances were also detected in 31% of positive tests, down 0.6% from the first quarter, according to the report.
Despite the declines, Dobson warned that amphetamine and cannabis activities remain a "serious concern."
"Employers need to take a hard look at their policies and training. In high-risk environments, drugs and alcohol have catastrophic consequences for worker safety and business continuity," he said.
Dobson also pointed out that their findings indicate that the types of substances people are taking change rapidly.
"The shift to opiates and amphetamines needs careful management because the data show substance misuse is evolving," he added.
He warned that businesses cannot afford to be complacent, and workplace policies should also adapt to changing drug use.
"Businesses must invest in comprehensive drug education, fit-for-purpose testing programmes, and region-specific management to stay ahead of issues. Proactive investment today can safeguard both workers and operations tomorrow," he said.
Dobson said last year that drug and alcohol policies should be documents that need to be reviewed regularly.
"It needs to be a living document that needs to be reviewed regularly because the drug testing environment is a dynamic field, it changes a lot," he previously told HRD.
