May 29, 2006

Alberta’s substance abuse problems in hot economy

JIM VEENBAAS

correspondent

EDMONTON

Western Canada’s booming construction sector is fuelling economic growth and creating thousands of jobs, but there’s a darker side to prosperity that’s affecting workers and businesses.

Substance abuse in the workplace has become a top priority with industry leaders as they grapple with ways to promote prevention and offer support to workers struggling with drug and alcohol problems, said Ron Beach of the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission (AADAC).

“You have young folks with money and time on their hands, and that can be a dangerous mix. Substance abuse is one of those detractors from health and safety, and that’s what industry is concerned about,” said Beach, a provincial prevention consultant with AADAC.

“Many employers are now looking at the big picture.”

Ron Beach - AADAC

Although substance abuse has devastating personal consequences, it also has far-reaching implications for the economy. According to a report published by the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse, the cost of drug, alcohol and tobacco abuse was $39.8 billion across the country in 2002.

Business bore the brunt of those costs in the form of $24.3 billion in lost productivity.

“Businesses have traditionally responded by identifying troubled employees and helping them overcome their addictions,” Beach said.

“Many employers are now looking at the big picture, trying to prevent a problem before it happens.”

Beach will discuss these issues at a seminar in Edmonton June 2 called Substance Abuse in the Workplace: The Price of Prosperity.

The one-day workshop will feature speakers from AADAC and ECS Safety Services, who will discuss a wide range of topics, including signs and symptoms of substance abuse, drug testing and provincial and federal legislation, as well as services and education. Beach will be accompanied in his presentation by Cindy King from the community services division of Edmonton’s adult counseling and prevention services.

“We’re hoping to define, with some clarity, what the concerns are and the best practices for addressing the issues. There’s some very concrete steps that business need to be aware of and a lot of different contributing factors that business and industry need to take a look at.”

This is the second time in as many years that this substance abuse workshop is being held, and organizer Jeff Morrow of Morrow Communications said the problem isn’t going away.

“Drugs and alcohol are more prevalent than ever. Fort McMurray is the epicentre of the problem in Alberta. There’s a lot of money going around right now and we have a young workforce that has never been exposed to this type of situation before,” Morrow noted

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