Construction workers most likely to use drugs, says study

New Delhi, Oct 31 (ANI): Among all other professions, construction workers are most likely to use drugs such as opioids and cocaine, suggests a recent study. The study, published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence shows the construction workers are the most likely of all occupations to use cocaine and misuse prescription opioids (taking them for nonmedical purposes), and the second most likely to use marijuana. The hazards of construction work including falls, injuries from overexertion, and being struck by or caught in heavy machinery result in high injury and fatality rates. In particular, injuries from repetitive, strenuous work can lead to treatment or self-treatment with pain medication such as marijuana or opioids. "Construction workers are at an increased risk for drug use, which makes them vulnerable to work-related injuries or even overdose deaths," said Danielle Ompad, associate professor of epidemiology at NYU College of Global Public Health, deputy director of CDUHR