A CLARIFICATION ON USE OF DRUGS BY WORKFORCE

On behalf of Bradford Health Services, I would like to thank reporter Senee
Seale Moon and business editor Jimmy Settle for the informative article on
March 16 about our alcohol and drug addiction treatment programs.
Photographer Alicia Archuleta is also to be commended for being so polite
and professional.

There is a need for clarification about illegal drug use by the
workforce. According to a 2002 National Survey on Drug Use by the
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 74.6
percent of the drug users are employed.

This does not mean that these employees are actually using drugs at
work.

Nevertheless, this same report indicates that one-third of the
employees surveyed knew of illegal sales of drugs on the job, and 20
percent of young workers admitted using marijuana on the job. It is
very alarming that 60 percent of the world's production of illegal
drugs is consumed in our country.

For more information, go to www.dol.gov/workingpartners/ Then click on
the SAID database link.

Area employers may also want to contact Jim Farner of the Tennessee
Drug-Free Workplace Program at 615-532-1321 (or go to www.state.
tn.us/labor-wfd/dfwp.html).

Participating businesses, even small ones, receive a 5 percent savings
on their workers' compensation insurance.

Debbie McGaha Bratton,

Marketing, Bradford Health Services,

Clarksville