National Amphetamine-Type Stimulant Strategy Background Paper
National Amphetamine-Type Stimulant Strategy Background Paper
National Amphetamine-Type Stimulant Strategy Background Paper
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
68<br />
At-risk workplaces<br />
There is increasing evidence about the use of ATS in association with work, with associated<br />
risks of working under the influence of drugs and impact on absenteeism. The impact of<br />
ATS use in the workplace can result in:<br />
• Overwhelming tiredness at the onset of the working week;<br />
• Otherwise unaccountable irritability, agitation or mood swings;<br />
• Difficulty concentrating and reduced performance;<br />
• Mental health problems, such as paranoia, delusions, feeling despondent or depressed;<br />
• Lack of concern about otherwise serious matters; and<br />
• Health problems, such as palpitations, infected injection sites or lesions (<strong>National</strong> Centre<br />
for Education and Training on Addiction, 2006).<br />
As outlined earlier (see ‘use in the workplace’, section 2.4), the use of ATS is more prolific<br />
in some industries than others. In particular, use in the transport industry, especially among<br />
long distance drivers, has been identified as one key area of concern in relation to the<br />
workplace. A report commissioned by the Motor Accidents Authority found evidence of<br />
widespread tolerance and lack of discouragement of drug use within transport companies<br />
(Quinlan, 2001). The use of stimulants by truck drivers in Australia was demonstrated in one<br />
study that detected stimulants in 23% of truck drivers compared to 4.1% of all drivers in road<br />
traffic crashes in three states (Drummer et al., 2003). In addition to concerns that ATS use<br />
may contribute to road injuries and fatalities, for drivers and innocent third parties, there are<br />
concerns about the health problems experienced by drivers as a result of prolonged use,<br />
including: high blood pressure; renal problems and kidney damage; heart and lung damage;<br />
stroke; liver damage; depression and other mental health issues (NSW Health, 2005).<br />
Recently, a project was conducted by the NSW Injury Risk Management Research Centre<br />
in collaboration with the University of NSW into stimulant use by long distance truck drivers<br />
(Williamson et al., 2006). The first study aimed to identify factors that may predict drug use<br />
by reanalysing data from previous national surveys with long distance truck drivers, while<br />
the second study aimed to update and expand this information by conducting an in-depth<br />
survey of drivers. The strongest predictors of stimulant use by long distance truck drivers,<br />
according to self-reported reasons for use, were fatigue and productivity-based payment<br />
systems. The second study found that one in five truck drivers used stimulants at least<br />
sometimes and more than half had used these drugs at some point in their career. The most<br />
common stimulants used were illicit forms of amphetamine-type stimulants.<br />
As a result of concern about ATS use in this population, some state-based strategies have<br />
been introduced. In NSW, the Roads and Traffic Authority has developed educational<br />
materials, including information booklets and posters, for drivers and operators highlighting the<br />
dangers of using drugs and the need for more appropriate fatigue management strategies.