Prescription drug abuse affects many Indiana companies

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The majority of Indiana companies that responded to a new drug-related survey say workplace prescription drug abuse is affecting their businesses.

Thousands of Indiana companies were invited to take part in the online survey, and about 200 completed it.

The survey results released Monday by National Safety Council President Deborah Hersman and Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller show that 80 percent of those companies have had problems with workers abusing or misusing prescriptions drugs.

The findings also show that while 87 percent of the companies conduct worker drug-testing, only about half test for synthetic opioids.

Hersman says that finding points to the need for more companies to test for synthetic opioids.

The survey results come amid Indiana’s growing problems with heroin and opioid abuse and addiction.