Addiction at Work

Drugs and the workplace just don't mix. Yes, most users of illicit drugs are employed adults and there's a high correlation between levels of stress, income and alcohol abuse amongst professional and managerial employees. But the risks associated with drug use and abuse in the workplace have been well defined. Addiction at Work enables you to understand the background and extent of the problem: the cost of drug abuse to your organization; the role your own organizational culture may have in encouraging drug misuse; the risks associated with dangerous or stressful jobs. There are also chapters to help you understand the symptoms of drug abuse and the potential risks associated with perfectly legal prescription or over-the-counter medicines. The right kind of drug policy can be a significant weapon to fight this problem. So Addiction at Work explores your responsibility as an employer and how to design, communicate and implement a policy that is appropriate for your organization. Finally, there are chapters on the tools and techniques open to your organization for tackling the problem head on; ways of addressing problem behaviours; the advantages and disadvantages of drug screening and the ethics associated with this practice; employee assistance programmes and specialist care and, finally, the employment law issues around drugs. Addiction at Work has been written by some of the world-authorities on drug use in the workplace. It is an essential reference for organizations seeking a way through the human, ethical and legal issues (and the risk they present to any employer) of a social problem that is increasingly impacting employees whatever their work or the nature of their workplace.

Hamid Ghodse, CBE, MD, PhD, DSc, DPM, FFPH, FRCP, FRCPE, FRCPsych, Professor of Psychiatry and International Drug Policy, University of London, worked for more than 30 years in the field of addictions, advancing clinical and academic understanding and policy, and working towards national and international drug control. His contribution to various aspects of university, Royal Colleges, National Health Service and voluntary agencies has been exemplary, and for this he was awarded the CBE. He was editor of Substance Misuse Bulletin, International Psychiatry and editorial board member of Addiction, International Journal of Social Psychiatry and other journals. He was a member of the Expert Advisory Panel of WHO on Drug Abuse. He was President of the International Narcotics Control Board, 1993-94, 1997-98, 2000-2001 and 2004-2005.

Contents: Understanding The Problem: Drugs and alcohol in the workplace, Hamid Ghodse; The extent and nature of substance abuse, Hamid Ghodse; The extent of the problem and the cost to employer, Christine Godfrey and Steve Parrott; Drug misuse and the work culture, Susanna Galea and Hamid Ghodse; Effects and risks of workplace culture, Graham Lucas; Symptoms of drug abuse in the workplace, Fabrizio Schifano; Effects of prescribed and OTC drugs on workplace performance, Ian Hindmarch. Establishing a Drug Policy: Drug and alcohol policies - a review, David Snashall and Dipti Patel; Employer's liability and responsibility, Ian Stone; Policy design and implementation, Graham Lucas. Tools for Managing the Problem: Addressing psychosocial problems at work - SOLVE, David Gold and Joannah Caborn; Specialist care, Alex Baldacchino; Drug screening and detection, John Christofides and Martyn Egerton; Screening new employees, John Harrison; Ethical, legal and practical aspects of testing, John Henry; Employee assistance programs, Jill Bachman, Andy Siegle and Elizabeth Pace; Employment law, Gillian Howard; Appendices: Shell International: Drug and Alcohol Policy, Michael Forbes; British Airways: Drug and Alcohol Policy, Raj Gakhal; Index.