The Powerful Pull of Opioids Leaves Many 'Missing' From U.S. Workforce
Last Updated: Wednesday July 28, 2021
(NPR, September 8) The nationwide opioid addiction epidemic is likely hitting the U.S. workforce as well.
There are more than one million working-age people who are missing from the workforce, according to estimates from economists WKMS reports. While we don’t know if this is completely due to drug addiction, it’s important to note that the two trends are coinciding. Almost 50 percent of non-working men in their prime age used pain medication, according to Princeton economist Alan Kreuger. In addition, even though alcohol abuse is more common, opioid users miss twice as many days of work than people addicted to alcohol, the news service reports. Read more
There are more than one million working-age people who are missing from the workforce, according to estimates from economists WKMS reports. While we don’t know if this is completely due to drug addiction, it’s important to note that the two trends are coinciding. Almost 50 percent of non-working men in their prime age used pain medication, according to Princeton economist Alan Kreuger. In addition, even though alcohol abuse is more common, opioid users miss twice as many days of work than people addicted to alcohol, the news service reports. Read more