Workplace substance use climate: prevalence and distribution in the U.S. workforce

This study explored the prevalence and distribution of employee exposure to three dimensions of workplace substance use climate-availability, descriptive norms, and injunctive norms. Data were collected from a national probability sample of 2148 U.S. wage and salary workers (957 men; 1191 women) using a random digit dialed telephone survey. Aproximately 63.09% of the workforce reported that they could easily bring alcohol into work, use alcohol while working, use alcohol during lunch and other breaks, or obtain alcohol at work. Similarly, 59.05% of the workforce reported that they could easily engage in the same behaviors regarding illicit drugs. During the preceding 12 months, 23.00% of the workforce reported exposure to a coworker who used or was impaired by alcohol during the workday and 12.65% of the workforce reported exposure to a coworker who used or was impaired by an illicit drug during the workday. Approximately, 7.03% of the workforce reported exposure to a coworker who approved of alcohol use or impairment during the workday and 3.55% of the workforce reported exposure to a coworker who approved of using or being impaired by illicit drugs during the workday. The distribution of exposure to a permissive workplace substance use climate differed by gender, age, occupation, and work shift.