New government released data reveals which industries have the highest rate of drug and alcohol use. It shows that the industry with the highest drug use is hotel and restaurants. Almost twenty percent of employees of hotels and restaurants reported using an illicit drug within the past month. Following behind is the arts and entertainment industry, with fourteen percent of employees partaking in illicit drug use. The industries with the least drug use are education and government. Only five percent of educators and four percent of government workers use illicit drugs.

When it comes to alcohol use, miners are the heaviest drinkers. Eighteen percent of miners consume alcohol regularly. Construction workers also are heavy drinkers, with sixteen percent of employees drinking. In addition to being heavy drug users, hotel and restaurant workers also drink heavily. Twelve percent of employees in this industry also consume large amounts of alcohol. The industries with the lowest rate of alcohol consumption are health care and social assistance.

Not surprisingly, the hotel and restaurant industry has the highest rate of substance use disorders. Food services workers are also high on the list at 16.9 percent. Lowest rate of substance use disorders include health care and education.

Alcohol and drug abuse in the workplace is not uncommon. It is a major problem for many industries and causes a lot of lost productivity. Getting employees the help they need for substance use disorders is critical and life altering.