The Need for Drug-Free Homes, Workplaces and Schools

As a canine drug search company, we would rather not see our dogs work. We’d rather see them relax, and we’d rather not have a drug problem in this country.

But that’s not the way it is.

Parents, school administrators, school counselors, teen psychologists, police officers, business owners and lawyers all have told us there is a strong need for a K-9 team to search for drugs at homes and facilities in Chicago and the northern suburbs.

If you are truly trying to keep the premises clean, eventually you will need to bring dogs in to sniff out trouble.

Data published by OSHA, DEA, The National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information, The Institute for a Drug Free Work Place, The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, The National Institute On Drug Abuse and The U.S. Department of Labor all show staggering statistics on drug use by teens at home and in school and by employees in the workplace, along with tremendous amounts of money lost by employers and life-changing consequences that present themselves to teens that experiment or regularly use drugs.

The True Cost of Drug Abuse

Drug abusers cost American employers more than $300 billion dollars annually in lost productivity, sick time, employee theft, workplace accidents, workplace violence, workers compensation, lawsuits and insurance claims.

Drug prevention reduces business risk. Business owners enforcing a drug free work atmosphere will increase their profitability while reducing risk. According to OSHA, 67 percent of all work-related accidents are the direct result of substance abuse. DEA reports that 70 percent of drug users are employed and 35 percent of all cocaine users sell drugs to co-workers to support their own habit.  With courts increasingly holding employers responsible for the actions of employee’s under the influence of drugs and alcohol, it is important to put an effective drug-awareness program in place showing you are serious about keeping your company drug-free.

Drug Abuse Causes Workplace Accidents

According to the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information drug-using employees are four times more likely to be involved in workplace accidents and eight times more likely to file a workers’ compensation claim. Of all worker compensation claims, as much as half can be attributed to substance abuse.

An estimated 14.8 million Americans are current illicit drug users. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration says 77 percent of illicit drug users in the United States are employed, equaling 9.4 million people. The chances are good that your organization employs one of these workers.

Drug-Detecting Canines: The Best Answer

The Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988  requires that companies with federal contracts of $25,000 or more must provide and maintain a drug-free workplace. This can be a challenge for most employers. While drug-testing options are viable for hiring practices and targeted interventions, drug detection dogs are the least invasive method of eradicating drugs from your business.

Superior Canine Services programs are simple to implement, allow for facility wide coverage, is cost effective and non-disruptive.