Drug Testing as Part of the War on Drugs

Drug testing programs in the United States may broadly be classified as mandatory (such as under DOT or Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulation) or nonmandatory. In the first group, a regulated employer is required by federal regulations to test. In the second, the employer chooses to test for reasons other than the federal requirements. It always was intended that the federal program would be the model for testing by private employers, and that mandatory testing would be extended to private employers who are regulated by various agencies of the federal government. This has happened. In addition, private employers who are not required to test under federal authority have instituted employee drug testing programs closely modeled on the federal program. Whether mandated or not, a well-designed and implemented drug testing program is a valuable tool in the effort to fight drugs in the workplace.