health care

Many employers are now requiring mandatory drug testing for applicants and current employees. Drug use has risen sharply over the past years and employers now need to take further precautions in order to maintain a reputable work environment. I believe this extra precaution will improve the workplace by creating a safer atmosphere, keep integrity and honesty in the staff, and eliminate many illegalities that go along with drug use in the workplace. These qualities would be further infused if drug screenings were mandatory.

First, drug use has been proven to alter judgment, which can create unnecessary hazards. Mandatory drug screenings will therefore create a safer work environment by keeping employees drug free and in an unaltered state of mind. In many jobs, even the slightest mistake could be crucial, or even fatal. Drug use was the cause of 31 percent of all workplace-related death in the past year alone. This percentage could decline immensely if drug use was eliminated. However drug use is an addiction. Depending on the addiction it must be met frequently. Problems such as sickness go away but addictions are constant and not allowable. The work that the employee puts in should be their best. “Since the employer has purchased the employees time, the employer has a proprietary right to ensure that the time purchased is used as efficiently as possible.”(Cranford 6) Many people have a problem with employees having to choose between their job and their drugs. For example what if the person is hooked and cannot do anything about their addiction. Should the person have to live with no means of income because of their addiction? It is a difficult question to answer. Addicts are people who have needs like anyone else. Should they be denied the means to basic necessities such as food and shelter that a job would provide? The solution to this problem should be found in treatment to the individual while they maintain their job. The drug testing itself forces