Drug Test Cheating Hits Record High, Quest Diagnostics Reports

Quest Diagnostics has reported a significant rise in the tampering of drug tests among U.S. workers, reaching the highest level in over 30 years. The analysis, which included nearly 9.8 million workforce drug tests, revealed a 633% increase in substituted urine specimens within the general workforce, a demographic of over 5.5 million people. This surge from 0.015% in 2022 to 0.11% in 2023, along with a 45.2% increase in invalid urine specimens, suggests that employees are increasingly trying to subvert drug testing protocols.

In addition to the general workforce, the federally mandated, safety-sensitive workforce also experienced substantial increases in tampering, with substitution rates climbing 370.6% and invalid rates up by over 36%. The overall drug positivity rate was reported at 4.6%, which is the highest in two decades, reflecting a more than 30% increase from the all-time low between 2010-2012. Marijuana positivity has also seen an uptick in industries and states where recreational use has been legalized, prompting some employers to reconsider their drug test policies.

The National Safety Council has raised concerns that cheating on drug tests compromises workplace safety and affects society at large. This rise in tampering with drug tests comes amidst ongoing discussions about drug use, workplace safety, and the varying legal status of substances such as marijuana across different states.