1 in 4 Workers Say They Have Been Under the Influence During Video Conferencing

About 1 in 4 workers surveyed recently say they have participated in a video conferencing call while under the influence of marijuana, alcohol, or other recreational drugs during the workday, and about 1 in 5 say they have witnessed a colleague under the influence of marijuana or other recreational drugs during a virtual meeting.

The findings come from the Self-Medication Nation: The Numbing of America survey conducted by Ipsos and commissioned by Sierra Tucson, the Arizona-based mental health treatment organization. The survey was conducted July 29 through Aug. 13, with 1,000 adults between the ages of 18 and 64 across the US participating.

>> VIEW the full Self-Medication Nation: The Numbing of America report

More 1 in 4 (28%) survey respondents said that an added benefit of working has been the opportunity to use alcohol and other recreational drugs during the workday, and of those who have used, 73% said that if their employer insists they return to the office, they’ll miss the opportunity to consume alcohol, marijuana and other recreational drugs while working.

“That makes us in the addiction treatment field wonder: How many of these employees will continue to use these substances as they return to the workplace or to hybrid schedules?” Jasleen Chhatwal, MD, Sierra Tucson chief medical officer, said in a news release. “In fact, we’re already seeing patients here at Sierra Tucson who were referred to us for treatment by employers—because they were affected by substances while at work, as well as at home.

“Bottom line: what starts during work-from-home may well continue as employees return to their workplaces. Employers that truly care about the health of their employees must be ready.”

The study found that 21% of respondents have used marijuana, and of those who have used, 41% say they have done so to cope with stress, 38% for anxiety, 20% for loneliness, and 31% for depression. Meanwhile, 13% of survey respondents have spoken with a therapist as a result of anxiety, depression, or other mental health issues.

Alcohol consumption has also surged during the pandemic, with 38% of respondents reporting an increase. Dr Chhatwal said the size of some patients’ alcohol consumption increases are alarming.

“Our survey found that of those 38% who increased their alcohol consumption during the pandemic, 85% increased by 1 to 3 drinks a day,”  Dr Chhatwal said. “That means some Americans are potentially adding an additional 21 drinks a week to what they were already consuming.”