A Quantitative Investigation Exploring Illicit Drug Use Inside and Out of the Foodservice Industry

Abstract

The primary purpose of this study was to perform a follow-up quantitative investigation of foodservice employees' illicit drug use behaviors, experiences with illicit drug use prevention efforts, and perceived negative outcomes associated with illicit drug use as compared to the non-foodservice labor force. An online survey was designed for this study to collect data and independent t-tests were conducted to analyze the data and test the hypotheses. Results indicated foodservice employees are more likely to use illicit drugs and are more concerned with short-term negative outcomes as a result of illicit drug use than the non-foodservice labor force. Furthermore, illicit drug use prevention efforts are less prominent in the foodservice industry than in other workplaces. This study provides foodservice industry professionals with further insight regarding illicit drug use, and offers practical implications that may help mitigate this phenomenon.