Global Effects of Drugs on the Workplace

According to the 2021 World Drug Report, approximately 275 million people used drugs worldwide in the last year, while over 36 million people suffered from drug use disorders. Globally, only 1 in 7 people receive the treatment they need.

In the United States alone, the estimated cost of drug abuse, including illegal drugs, alcohol, and tobacco—is more than $740 billion a year and growing, according to data reported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

 Of this figure, more than $120 billion per year in lost productivity, according to The National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC).  Included in that lost productivity are reduced labor participation, incarceration, premature mortality, hospitalization, and participation in treatment programs away from work.

According to NDIC estimates, drug abuse accounts for:

$49 billion in reduced workdays

$48 billion in incarceration expenses

$4 billion due to premature deaths

Additionally, we have also seen that drug use in the workplace and in communities has a significant impact on a much broader socio-economic basis. The drug trade creates barriers to business and economic development, including:

• Interpersonal crime and community violence,
• The corruption of public servants and the disintegration of social institutions,
• The emergence of new or enhanced health problems,
• Lowering of worker productivity,
• The ensnarement of youth in drug distribution and away from productive education or employment, and
• Skewing of economies to drug production and money laundering.

While each of these are important in their own right, the reduction of worker productivity and the diversion of youth in drug dealing and trafficking instead of training for future employment have direct impacts on the workplace. Illicit actions associated with drug economies also divest the legitimate economy of workforce and the capability for innovation.