The opioid crisis in America really began in the latter part of the 1990s. As drugs such as OxyContin were being widely touted for pain treatment, attendant labeling issues, inaccurate information and opioid diversion were contributing to the rampant misuse of these medications. By the end of the 90s and the beginning of the 2000s, the country had a full-blown crisis on its hands. The problem with this particular crisis was that because the fields of pain and addiction medicine were relatively new, no one quite understood how to address the issue of opioid addiction.
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1. Opioid Addiction Statistics
2. The Local Impact of Opioids
3. Understanding How Opioids Affect the Workplace
4. Protecting Your Company & Your Employees
The tragedy here is that the country still continues to suffer from the effects of opioid addiction. Fentanyl use is now among the leading opioids fueling the country’s current crisis, according to the American Medical Association (AMA). And though efforts have been made and numerous resources have been deployed to try to find a way out of this crisis, there are still so many people falling victim to opioid misuse and ultimately, in some cases, overdose-related deaths. Consider the following:
The toll that opioid misuse and abuse has taken on Kansas City is not negligible. According to one recent statistic, between 2019 and 2020, opioid misuse within Kansas City increased by 15%. And in Missouri, some experts estimate that the number of opioid-related deaths increased exponentially during the course of the pandemic—up 40% from February 2020 to February 2021.
Missouri does have a statewide prescription drug monitoring program in place, the abuse of fentanyl and other such drugs still seems to be taking a tragic toll. Missouri also has a program called NOMODEATHS initiated by the Missouri Department of Mental Health which is focused on helping people get access to naloxone, a medicine that quickly reverses an opioid overdose.
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Given that there are currently over 60 million people on some form of prescribed opioid, it could very well be that someone within your office is in fact using a medication of this type. The problem arises when prescription medications, including oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, morphine and others, begin to cause impairment as a result of misuse or overuse. Obviously, there is an immediate inherent danger to the person abusing the opioids, but there can also be a very real danger posed to others in your workplace.
The incorrect use of these types of drugs can lead to an increased risk of workplace incidents, errors and injury; even when these drugs are used as prescribed, there may be precautions that need to be taken in order to avoid accidents or problems. While people often respond differently to opioids, these medications can cause drowsiness, poor memory, confusion, decreased cognitive functions and impairment of neuromuscular coordination.
In light of the side effects of various types of opioid medications, there are industries, such as construction for example, in which it may not be safe to have an employee who is on opioid medication perform their regular duties—at least during the course of their treatment.
When it comes to opioids in the workplace unfortunately there really is no clear-cut answer as to how to address the problem, what actions to take and what the outcome might be. Beyond the physical and mental costs that opioid addiction and/or dependency can have within the context of your workplace, there are also of course the financial costs. Healthcare costs for those with a substance abuse disorder are nearly double what they are for other employees.
And as far as worker’s compensation claims, data shows workers using prescribed opioids have significantly higher claim costs than those with similar injuries who are not taking opioids. Higher claim costs may be attributed to an increase in lost wages as the return-to-work time is often delayed for workers prescribed opioids and possible opioid addiction and dependency treatment.
It is obviously in your best interest, as well as that of your employees and the company as a whole, to be proactive, to take steps that might help protect everyone involved when opioid addiction becomes an all-too-real factor within the workplace.
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Dealing with opioid use in the workplace can be a difficult, not to mention, sensitive situation. You don’t have to go through something like this alone. And you certainly want to comply with laws and regulations surrounding these types of matters where employees are concerned. We are here to offer guidance and help. Don’t hesitate to reach out and schedule a consultation.
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