Corporate drug prevention program on track

DrugCheck Phils. Inc., considered the country’s largest drug testing company, has announced the success of its corporate drug prevention program.

DrugCheck, according to its spokesperson, Mylon Villasante, has worked as early as last year with companies to promote and ensure a drug-free workplace through a comprehensive drug prevention program that includes awareness building, policy formulation and actual drug screening.

The corporate drug prevention program, Villasante said, aims to instill both fear and respect among workers vis-a-vis the company’s time and productivity.

"Employees most fear the fact that drug use can lead to disciplinary actions, including termination. The implementation of a random and unannounced drug test is a very potent deterrent that will discourage drug use among employees," Villasante said.

"Through the program, companies are assured that their employees will think twice before (going) into illegal drug use. Thus, respect for the company’s time and productivity is reinforced," Villasante added.

Villasante cited the experience of Society Publishing Inc. (SPI), publisher of Buy and Sell, Car Finder and Job Finder, whose employees underwent a random drug test last January.

Test results, representing 10 percent of the SPI workforce, showed that eight percent of those tested were either habitual or occasional drug users. Immediately afterwards, the management instituted measures to arrest the problem.

A second batch of SPI employees of the same sample size underwent a similar procedure last June. According to Clara Sanchez, SPI human resources manager, the results were very encouraging — the batch tested negative for drug use. By adopting the program, SPI can now claim to be drug-free.