An Analysis of Worker Drug Use and Workplace Policies and Programs

Drug Use Recency

The following NHSDA questionnaire items, called "recency" items, were used to determine current illicit drug use (past month use of any illicit drug):

"When was the most recent time you used [name of drug]?

The illicit drugs covered by this set of questions include marijuana, cocaine, crack cocaine, hallucinogens, tranquilizers, stimulants, analgesics, and opiates. When asking about drugs that may be used based on a prescription, the NHSDA questions were careful to identify "nonmedical" use (over-the-counter drugs are not included).

This page was last updated on June 03, 2008.

SAMHSA, an agency in the Department of Health and Human Services, is the Federal Government's lead agency for improving the quality and availability of substance abuse prevention, addiction treatment, and mental health services in the United States.