‘High’ Potential: Drug Abuse Soaring Among Aussie Workers

Down Under the Influence: The rate of drug use by Australian workers is rising at a spectacular pace, according to a report by The Daily Telegraph newspaper in Sydney. Naturally, the alarming spike in vocational drug use on the job is sparking a national debate on the role Australia’s state and federal governments should play in mandating compulsory drug testing for workers.

The report says one in eight Australians are testing positive for drugs at work, a rate that has doubled during the past decade. More than 5 percent of those who do drugs occupy “high-risk” jobs, the newspaper states. Recreational pot-smoking heads the list of most popular illegal substances, accounting for about 90 percent of positive results. Based on that finding, drug experts in Australia warn that the number of positive tests could reach 25 percent in certain industries.