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Workplace drug test results have remained consistent throughout the pandemic

Wikimedia Commons

Despite massive layoffs and remote working, drug test positivity rates have remained consistent since 2019. The Diagnostic Laboratory Services compared the average positivity rates for marijuana, amphetamines, cocaine, and opioids.

The average positivity rate for marijuana was 2.9% in 2019, then 3.3% in 2020, and decreased marginally to 3.2% in 2021.

Amphetamine rates hovered just below 1% for three years. The average amphetamine positivity rates were 0.9%, 0.8% and 0.9% from 2019 to 2021 respectively.

Cocaine hovered at 0.4%, 0.3%, and 0.3%, from 2019 to 2021 respectively. Nationally, cocaine positivity rates decreased from 0.27% in 2019 to 0.22% in 2020.

Synthetic urine submissions have also remained consistent with an average of 1.5%. When diagnostic labs find a fake urine sample, the test is labeled as invalid and the employee must submit a new sample.

Zoe Dym was a news producer at Hawaiʻi Public Radio.
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