Cocaine
Cocaine's Workplace Bite: Highs, Hazards, and How to Protect Your Business
Cocaine's allure in the workplace, once a relic of 80s excess, persists like a phantom limb. While its peak popularity may have faded, it remains a hidden menace, gnawing at productivity and safety.
In Australia, its grip is particularly tight, with national use soaring to its highest in nearly two decades. This article delves into the dark side of cocaine in the workplace, examining its effects, impact, and how to keep your business safe.
The Cocaine Cocktail:
Cocaine, a chemical siren song, promises euphoria and increased energy. But beneath its dazzling veneer lies a dangerous brew. Extracted from South American coca leaves, it has been used for centuries, initially as a stimulant and anesthetic.
Modern recreational use, however, unleashes a torrent of adverse effects:
Inhaling: Snorting, the most common method, damages nasal cavities and increases the risk of respiratory infections.
Injecting: Bypassing the lungs, this method delivers a swift, intense high, but carries a high risk of infection and overdose.
Gum rubbing: While seemingly less harmful, this method can cause gum tissue damage and even tooth loss.
Ingestion: Mixing with food or drinks adds unpredictability and potential stomach issues to the equation.
Crack, a potent crystalline form, amplifies these dangers with its rapid onset and addictive nature.
The Hidden Cost of Cocaine:
Beyond the immediate buzz, cocaine's impact in the workplace is insidious:
Absenteeism and tardiness: Impaired judgment and unreliable energy levels lead to missed workdays and disruptions to schedules.
Poor decision-making: Cocaine's distorting effects cloud judgment, leading to costly mistakes and potential safety hazards.
Aggression and hostility: Volatile emotions and paranoia can create a toxic work environment, damaging team dynamics and morale.
Financial theft: The insatiable need for cocaine can drive employees to steal from colleagues or embezzle company funds.
Accidents and injuries: Impaired reflexes and reckless behavior increase the risk of accidents, particularly when operating machinery or driving.
Combating cocaine's influence requires a proactive approach:
Clear Drug and Alcohol Policy: Establishing a well-defined policy outlines acceptable conduct and consequences for violations, setting a clear framework for addressing the issue.
Drug Education and Awareness Programs: Educating employees about the dangers of cocaine empowers them to make responsible choices and identify potential abuse early.
Drug Testing Programs: Where permitted by law, testing can act as a deterrent and identify cases requiring intervention.
By prioritizing employee safety and implementing these measures, businesses can create a healthy environment where productivity thrives without the shadow of cocaine's grip.
Remember, cocaine's workplace impact is far-reaching and potentially devastating.
Implementing these steps demonstrates your commitment to a safe and productive environment, protecting your business, and prioritizing the well-being of your employees.
How we test for Cocaine:
Urine drug testing – The most common method of testing not only for cocaine but for a host of other substances as well. Considered the most affordable of all cocaine drug testing methods, urine can detect traces of cocaine for 5 days up to a week, which will cover the entire initial and withdrawal phases (the latter being significantly associated with performance impairment). It is, however, regarded by some as an invasive way of cocaine testing.
Oral fluid (saliva) drug testing – This type of testing may be a bit more expensive than urine tests, but many employers are switching to this testing method because it’s regarded as one of the least invasive. Although it is easily administered, saliva cocaine testing can detect use primarily within the past 2 days but may be as long as 4 days in heavy users. Unfortunately, this will cover much of the acute impairment period but will not cover it entirely – only urine testing will do that. The problem with oral fluid detection of cocaine use is that cocaine secretion into saliva is affected by the pH of the saliva – so it is relatively easy to ensure cocaine will not be detected by altering the acidity of the oral fluid (lists of the foods to take/chew within an hour of testing are available on the net).
Hair follicle drug testing – The most expensive cocaine testing method, hair testing is better at detecting cocaine use over a longer period of time. In fact, with hair testing, brief breaks from using cocaine have little to no bearing on the results. It can detect cocaine use from 10 to 14 days after use up to 90 days or more (depending on the length of the hair).