Drug Testing IndexThe Quest Diagnostics Drug Testing Index™ (DTI) reveals insights into patterns of drug use among the American workforce. Published annually for more than 25 years, the Drug Testing Index examines positivity rates for workplace drug tests. Quest reports these findings as a public service for government, employers, policymakers and the general public.

In examining the latest data, Dr. Barry Sample, Director of Science and Technology at Quest Diagnostics, noted the following significant findings from more than 10 million workplace drug test results.

  • The percentage of American workers testing positive for illicit drugs such as marijuana, cocaine and methamphetamine has increased for the second consecutive year in the general U.S. workforce.
  • According to urine drug test data and unlike 2013 data, marijuana positivity increased at about the same rate in Colorado and Washington, states with recreational marijuana-use laws, as the rest of the United States in 2014.
  • The DTI analysis showed increases in workplace positivity for cocaine in the general U.S. workforce over the past two years, reversing a prolonged period of decline.
  • Continuing a multi-year upward trend, amphetamines positivity – specifically the use of methamphetamine – showed a steady increase across both urine and oral fluid drug tests.
  • The positivity rate for 6-acetylmorphine, or 6-AM, a specific marker for heroin, doubled in the general U.S. workforce between 2011 and 2014.

Media coverage for the DTI includes The Wall Street Journal, Human Resources ExecutiveRisk Management Monitor, SHRM OnlineMarketWatchMarketWatch: Amphetamine use among workers highest on recordDrugfree.org, Medical News Today, Health CentralExecutive Risk Network, Property Casualty 360Kaiser Health News, Cincinnati.comFits News, Mobile Medical Corporation, BioSpaceZero Hedge and a USA Today SnapShot.

Watch a video interview of Wall Street Journal Careers Reporter, Lauren Weber.

We support workplace drug testing programs for their ability to promote safer, healthier and more productive work environments.

For more information about drug testing, visit QuestDiagnostics.com/DTI.