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QwestDiagnostics Says Amphetamine Usage Up
John Stith
Staff Writer
2005-05-16
 Insider Reports RSS Feed
The medical analysis firm QwestDiagnostics reported on Monday that amphetamine usage was up in the work place during 2004. QwestDiagnostics also is a major drug testing for employers.
Amphetamines use, which grew rapidly between 2000 and 2003, continued to grow in 2004, although at a slower rate. Among general U.S. workforce employees, the incidence of positive drug tests attributed to amphetamines rose by approximately 6% in 2004 from 2003, reaching 0.52% of all drug tests that look for amphetamines among this group of workers. During 2003 amphetamines positivity was 0.49%. Between 2000 and 2003, year-over-year growth rates for amphetamines positivist had been 16%, 17% and 44%, respectively.
"The use of amphetamines among workers continued to grow in 2004," said Barry Sample, Ph.D., Director of Science and Technology for the Employer Solutions division of Quest Diagnostics. However amphetamines use among workers grew at a slower pace, when compared to previous years."
Methamphetamine, the most commonly abused type of amphetamine, is a potent synthetic psychostimulant drug that is used by individuals to increase alertness, relieve fatigue, feel stronger and more decisive. Consequences of methamphetamine use include addiction, psychotic behavior and brain damage, and chronic use can cause violent behavior, anxiety, confusion, insomnia, auditory hallucinations, mood disturbances, delusions and paranoia. Withdrawal symptoms include depression, anxiety, fatigue, paranoia, and intense cravings.
During 2004, the drug positivity rate for Federally-mandated, safety-sensitive workers decreased to 2.3% from 2.5% in 2003, while the drug positivity rate for the general U.S. workforce declined to 4.9% from 5.0% in 2003.
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About the Author:
John is a staff writer for SecurityProNews covering cyber security.
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