Drug and alcohol screening market grows as use increases

Recent financial reports showed that the global drug and alcohol screening market currently carries a value of more than £7bn. Experts believe that this niche will maintain a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.6% and achieve a value of over £15.2bn by 2029.

At its core, this market consists of companies that specialise in services and products to test for the presence (and levels) of drugs and alcohol. An increase in the use of drugs and alcohol is the main driver behind the ever-increasing scope of this sphere.

The importance of workplace drug and alcohol testing

While some countries acknowledge the core importance of workplace testing, others still ban this practice. According to the UK’s Office for National Statistics, 4,907 people died because of drug poisoning in 2022. This is equivalent to a rate of 84.4 deaths per million people.

These statistics alone should highlight the importance of drug and alcohol testing in the workplace. It is a tool that can help employers, drug and alcohol testing specialists such as Matrix Diagnostics, and treatment providers reach out to drug and alcohol misusers before it is too late.

Institutions other than workplaces can also benefit from fast and regular alcohol and drug screenings. Law enforcement agencies, hospitals and drug treatment centres, among others, can expedite processes (including therapeutic interventions) when using rapid testing solutions.

Workplace alcohol and drug testing solutions

Today, there are several rapid testing products that make workplace testing efficient without compromising the dignity of individuals. Determining alcohol levels with our Intoximeter Alcohol Breathalyser is quick and simple. This testing device also comes with a printer for record and cross-referencing purposes and is especially helpful in the case of people who are in treatment.

Urine tests are speedy, on-site drug testing solutions. The Matrix Cup, for instance, has a built-in strip to measure urine temperature and validate the sample. It can also incorporate adulterant panels to gauge a specimen’s integrity and delivers results within five minutes.

Multi-drug dip cards are another urine-based, rapid, five-minute drug testing solution. They test for the presence of up to 10 different drugs and can be customised to test for a specific drug panel.

Laboratory-based drug screening includes blood, hair and oral fluid tests. According to the latest market data, urine testing was the most prevalent screening method in 2023. However, indications are that oral fluid testing is fast becoming the preferred method for drug screening because:

• Collecting samples is quick and easy.
• There are no specific protocols for sample collection.
• The risk of sample adulteration is low.

Oral fluid testing offers a non-invasive solution that is user-friendly for both the person conducting the test and the candidate being tested. It is also thorough as it detects substances up to 48 hours after the individual ingested or injected them. For oral fluid testing, we use the Intercept i2he device because of its accuracy and reliability compared to other market solutions.

Workplace testing is a key puzzle piece in stemming the rising tide of alcohol and drug misuse.