Furthermore, I will relate substance abuse to a work environment I have been associated with and express the chaos I have witnessed from co-workers abusing illegal substances and over-using alcohol. I am going to analyze ways this problem can be possibly solved or at least prevented to a certain degree. If substance abuse is prevented, I have determined several social and economic benefits that may occur. I. The major problem with substance abuse 1.
Substance abuse in the workplace is extremely dangerous; the one abusing the substance increases not only their chances, but also increases the likeliness of their co-workers of injuries or possibly death depending on the situation. a. “Alcohol and drug abuse on the job is a serious issue for employers because it may cause lost productivity or dangerous conditions from mistakes, reduced efficiency, and increased absenteeism. ” (Giraffe, 2011) b. “Alcohol use, although legal, also significantly contributes to workplace substance abuse problems. (Giraffe, 2011) II. Substance abuse related to my work environment 1. I have had co-workers come into work hung-over and possibly still drunk, I have seen them hide in the bathroom and sleep for several hours. a. “Furthermore, substance abusers are not only less productive, but they also use three times the number of sick days and file five times the number of workers’ compensation claims as nonabusers” (U. S. Department of Labor, 1999).
The Essay on Substance Abuse Jack Alcohol Marijuana
Counselor Name: dh biggs Clients Name: Jack Smith A. SUBSTANCE ABUSE HISTORY A diagnostic summary was completed on 10/6/96; Jack Smith is a 41-year-old white male currently living in a small community in southern Ohio. Jack came into the agency involuntarily; his involvement with the agency is a requisite of probation for assault and domestic violence. He was arrested for assaulting his wife ...
b. “Substance abuse also leads to injuries” (Giraffe, 2011) III. Ways this problem can be decreased 1.
Although the problem is abundant in the work-center, there are possibly solutions to minimizing substance abusers at work. a. “In 2005, for example, an estimated 17 million people used illegal drugs and nearly 75% of them were employed” (U. S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 2011) b. “The Department of Health and Human Services study reported that almost 9% of full-time workers reported heavy alcohol use within the past month. The vast majority of those were between 18 and 25 years old” (Larson, Eyerman, Foster, & Gfroerer, 2007).
c. OSHA provides employers with recommendations for substance abuse prevention programs, including the drug-free workplace policy. ” (Giraffe, 2011) d. “Training is an important component of a drug-free workplace to make sure supervisors understand how to enforce the policy without violating the law. Many companies offer employee assistance programs (EAPs) as part of their benefits package. EAPs provide individual counseling services and are a resource for referral to rehabilitation programs, medical services, or other therapeutic services. ” (Giraffe, 2011) e. This was followed by the Drug-Free Workplace Law of 1988, which has been amended several times to require federal contractors to actively promote a drug-free workplace and to have a substance abuse prevention policy in place” (Reagan, 1986).
2. Social benefits if prevented 1. The workplace will be a more socially accepted atmosphere is the problem was to be prevented. a. “According to a Department of Health and Human Services study, males are more likely than females to use illegal drugs, and employees with lower education levels are more likely to use drugs than those with college degrees” (Larson, Eyerman, Foster, & Gfroerer, 2007).
. Economic benefits if prevented 1. Companies will save a great deal of money if this problem were to be prevented. a. “can cause increases in health insurance costs” (Giraffe, 2011) b. “Estimates that the residual cost of substance abuse in the workplace is more than $80 billion in the United States. ” (U. S. Department of Labor, 1999) Substance abuse in the workplace is a problem that has been around for years, and it has yet to slow-down, however, I noted several ways the problem can be prevented.
The Term Paper on United States’ Drug Trafficking Problem
DRUG TRAFFICKING KRISTY WILLIAMS ENG 122 PROF VINESKI 07/31/12 The topic that I chose is Drug Trafficking in the United States. I chose this topic because I think that the drug dilemma is a major problem in the United States today. This subject touches me dearly because a lot of my family members are on drugs. I feel we need to address this because I have boys who are growing up and I don’t want ...