Positive drug tests in US workforce highest in two decades

The rate of positive drug test results in the U.S. workforce in 2021 reached its highest level since 2001, according to analysis published Wednesday by Quest Diagnostics.

Based on nearly 9 million urine drug tests collected between January and December 2021, the study found the overall positivity rate in the combined U.S. workforce was up 4.6% in 2021 compared with 4.4% in 2020, and up 31.4% from the all-time low of 3.5% just 10 years ago.

The overall positivity rate in the federally mandated, safety-sensitive workforce, based on nearly 2.7 million urine drug tests, stayed even year-over-year at 2.2%. In the general U.S. workforce, positivity increased 1.8% (5.5% in 2020 versus 5.6% in 2021) and was 12% higher than in 2017 (5.0% in 2017 versus 5.6% in 2021) and up each of the last five years, according to Quest Diagnostics.

Barry Sample, senior science consultant for Quest, said in a statement the study results highlighted trends such as increased drug positivity rates in the safety-sensitive workforce, including those performing public safety and national security jobs, as well as higher rates of positivity in individuals tested after on-the-job accidents.