What are the Typical Drugs of Abuse in the Workplace?
There are three drugs that are most commonly used on the job. They include marijuana, cocaine, and alcohol. Heroin, which probably ranks fourth, can be a problem in organizations employing large numbers of unskilled laborers. Additionally, in some places in the United States, PCP and amphetamines may pose a problem. Marijuana, hashish, and hashish oil are substances obtained from dried parts of the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa. It is usually consumed by smoking a marijuana cigarette, also called a joint, although occasionally it is ingested in food or imbibed in tea or other drinks. Cocaine is a white powder extracted from the leaves of coca plant, which grows primarily in South America. It is consumed by sniffing, by inhalation or smoking, or by intravenous injection. A crystallized form of cocaine base (crack) is inhaled by “smoking” the ignited vapors in small glass pipes. Heroin is white to brown powder or gummy substance derived from the opium poppy. It is injected directly into a
