'White-collar' workers warned over random drug tests

Employers are cracking down on white-collar cocaine use after detections of the illicit substance almost doubled in Australian workplaces this year.

Positive workplace tests for the illegal party drug were up 45 per cent in the quarter ending March 31, according to the country's largest drug testing agency.

The Drug Detection Agency (TDDA) chief executive Glenn Dobson warned that cocaine detection is no longer slowing down outside of typical holiday periods and is becoming a "sustained" problem in office environments.

Generic street scenes in Sydney CBD. EY, Ernst & Young, accounting firm, office workers, employment, revolving door.

"We did see a holiday spike followed by a partial correction, but cocaine detections have not returned to previous baseline levels," Dobson said.

"Year-over-year, detections are up across almost every state, which may point to a steady and increasingly entrenched supply network."

Cocaine use has climbed in every state except Western Australia, according to tests compiled by TDDA between January 1 and March 31.

The data has been taken from pre-employment, post-incident, regular and random testing in Australian workplaces.

Detections of the drug were highest in South Australian workers, with an 128.2 per cent year-on-year increase, followed by Queensland, NSW and Victoria.

The use of amphetamine-type substances (ATS), including methamphetamine, is also up by 28.3 per cent.

The TDDA has urged employers to ramp up efforts to tackle drug use as a "priority" in light of the alarming statistics.

Dobson told the Australian Financial Review (AFR) that he is seeing "more testing in white-collar environments".

TDDA Drug Testing Services

"If a testing programme is not yet in place, or has not been reviewed for some time, addressing this should be a priority," Dobson added.

"Employers are encouraged to strengthen measures specifically addressing those substances.

"Implementing a targeted testing programme including pre-employment, regular and random testing is one of the most effective tools for early warning and intervention."

Dobson said cocaine detection can be prevalent among high-performing staff in leadership roles.

He described it as a "risk" to everyone in the workplace.

"Cocaine does not announce itself the way some other substances do," Dobson said.

"Employees using cocaine may present as confident and high-performing, even as their judgement, concentration and impulse control are compromised.

"In workplaces where people operate heavy machinery, drive vehicles, or carry out safety-sensitive tasks, that is not just a risk to the individual. It is a risk to everyone around them.

"By the time the problem becomes visible, it may have already been present for some time."

National Alcohol and Other Drug hotline 1800 250 015

Support for families and friends of individuals experiencing alcohol or drug dependency:

Family Drug Support Australia 24/7 Support Line – 1300 368 186

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‘White-collar’ workers warned over random drug tests