The workplace is carrying much of the weight of the current drug epidemic. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics numbers show that drug overdose is the fastest-growing cause of death at work, bypassing violence, traffic accidents and toxic-chemical exposure.
Opioid overdoses took the lives of more than 49,000 Americans in 2017, according to statistics from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates about 115 overdose fatalities occur each day, and the epidemic is still far from over. These statistics alone can be enough to mobilize HR and business leaders to educate themselves and their employees about opioid use, addiction, treatment and prevention.
