Organizations often require their new employees to go through drug screening before they can come on board, for many reasons. It reduces the liability of the organization, for starters, to have new hires complete drug testing. When people are in charge of large pieces of equipment, or if they are driving company cars, there is good reason to have them undergo a pre-employment test before starting the job. It is simply a matter of safety to test new employees for drug use.

Another reason why companies have new employees undergo drug screening is to keep insurance costs down, because they can ensure a lower healthcare cost if their employees are not using drugs. It is a proven fact that people are more likely to become ill, especially with respiratory illness, when they are abusing drugs. Drug testing also helps to ensure a more responsible group of employees, because people who use drugs are often less responsible in general.

And since people who use drugs also tend to call in sick more often, a pre-employment test also helps to enhance productivity. Commercial organizations lose an average $7,000 per year for each employee on their staff that abuses drugs, according to the Small Business Administration, which justifies the expense of drug screening. Drug testing has become a big business, with approximately 50 million Americans tested each year. A pre-employment test is an easy way for an employer to ensure the reliability and productivity of their new hires, while also ensuring the good service they provide their customers.

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