US Corporate Substance Abuse Policies: A Benchmark

Since logistics employee substance abuse can have a significant negative effect on logistics efficiency and effectiveness, logistics managers should develop policies and procedures effectively to control logistics employee substance abuse. This article provides a benchmark for managers who seek to develop such policies by reporting the results of a survey of current US corporate logistics substance abuse policies and practices. Forty per cent of the respondents reported not having a written substance abuse policy. The most widely used detection methods were management observation followed by drug testing. Only 50 per cent of the firms employed pre-employment screening and less than 40 per cent screened current logistics employees. Of those who did drug test, more than two-thirds tested for cause only, in all logistics occupations except truck driver, airline pilot and vehicle mechanic. Logistics management should aggressively pursue substance abuse policy development, pre-employment screening, detection methods for all job classifications and employee assistance programmes.