Drug Abuse In The Work Place

Current illicit drug use differed by employment status in 2011. Among adults aged 18 or older, the rate of current illicit drug use was higher for those who were unemployed (17.2 percent) than for those who were employed full time (8.0 percent), employed part time (11.6 percent), or "other" (6.4 percent) (which includes students, persons keeping house or caring for children full time, retired or disabled persons, or other persons not in the labor force) (Figure 2.12).

Below is a set of two bar graphs. Click here for the text describing these graphs.


























Figure 2.12 Past Month Illicit Drug Use among Persons Aged 18 or Older, by Employment Status: 2010 and 2011

+ Difference between this estimate and the 2011 estimate is statistically significant at the .05 level.
1 The Other Employment category includes students, persons keeping house or caring for children full time, retired or disabled persons, or other persons not in the labor force.

• Although the rate of current illicit drug use was higher among unemployed persons in 2011 compared with those who were either employed full time, employed part time, or "other," most of these users were employed. Of the 19.9 million current illicit drug users aged 18 or older in 2011, 13.1 million (65.7 percent) were employed either full or part time.

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