Drug-Free Workplace Policies Reduce Both Marijuana Use and Prescription Drug Misuse in Young Workers
Among Americans ages 15-25, drug-free workplace policies and Employee Assistance Programs were each independently associated with lower marijuana use and prescription drug misuse, but not with problem drinking.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Researchers analyzed data from over 20,000 young adults in national surveys to examine how school status, employment, and workplace drug policies relate to prescription drug misuse.
Being a student was protective against prescription misuse. Among those ages 18-25, working consistently added further protection. Both awareness of a drug-free workplace policy (OR = 0.85) and access to Employee Assistance Programs (OR = 0.85) were independently associated with lower prescription drug misuse.
All four workplace program aspects were also significantly associated with lower marijuana use. However, none were associated with problem drinking, suggesting these programs specifically affect illicit drug behavior rather than all substance use.
Key Numbers
20,457 participants; EAP access OR=0.85 for prescription misuse; drug-free workplace awareness OR=0.85; all four program aspects significantly associated with lower marijuana use; none associated with problem drinking
How They Did This
Secondary analysis of weighted data from the 2004-2008 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health. Included 20,457 young adults ages 15-25. Multivariate logistic regressions controlled for sex, race, community size, age group, and substance use history.
Why This Research Matters
The finding that workplace drug policies reduce marijuana and prescription drug misuse but not alcohol problems suggests these programs work through deterrence and culture change specific to illicit drug use, not through general behavior modification.
The Bigger Picture
For employers considering whether workplace drug programs are worth the investment, this study suggests they produce measurable reductions in both marijuana use and prescription drug misuse among younger workers, beyond simple selection effects.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Cross-sectional design cannot establish causation. People who choose workplaces with drug policies may differ from those who do not. Self-reported drug use and policy awareness. Data from 2004-2008 predates marijuana legalization in most states.
Questions This Raises
- ?Have these protective effects changed since marijuana legalization?
- ?Do workplace drug policies reduce drug problems or simply push drug-using workers to different employers?
- ?Would expanding EAP messaging about prescription drugs increase their protective effect?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 15% lower odds of prescription misuse with drug-free workplace policies
- Evidence Grade:
- Large national dataset with appropriate statistical controls, though cross-sectional design and self-reported data limit causal conclusions.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2015 using 2004-2008 data. Marijuana legalization and changing attitudes may have altered these relationships.
- Original Title:
- School and work status, drug-free workplace protections, and prescription drug misuse among Americans ages 15-25.
- Published In:
- Journal of studies on alcohol and drugs, 76(2), 195-203 (2015)
- Authors:
- Miller, Ted, Novak, Scott P, Galvin, Deborah M, Spicer, Rebecca S, Cluff, Laurie, Kasat, Sandeep
- Database ID:
- RTHC-01018
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Do workplace drug policies actually work?
This study found they were associated with reduced marijuana use and prescription drug misuse, but not problem drinking. The selective effect suggests they work through deterrence specific to illicit substances rather than general behavior change.
Why did workplace programs not reduce alcohol problems?
The researchers noted a sharp contrast: all program aspects reduced illicit drug use, but none affected alcohol. This may reflect that alcohol is legal and socially normalized, making it less susceptible to workplace policy deterrence.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-01018APA
Miller, Ted; Novak, Scott P; Galvin, Deborah M; Spicer, Rebecca S; Cluff, Laurie; Kasat, Sandeep. (2015). School and work status, drug-free workplace protections, and prescription drug misuse among Americans ages 15-25.. Journal of studies on alcohol and drugs, 76(2), 195-203.
MLA
Miller, Ted, et al. "School and work status, drug-free workplace protections, and prescription drug misuse among Americans ages 15-25.." Journal of studies on alcohol and drugs, 2015.
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "School and work status, drug-free workplace protections, and..." RTHC-01018. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/miller-2015-school-and-work-status
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.