Mediterranean

In 1986, the Reagan Administration began recommending a drug testing program for employers as part of the War on Drugs program. In 1988, Drug Free Workplace regulations required that any company with a contract over $25,000 with the Federal government provide a Drug-Free Workplace. This program must include drug testing. In December, The Omnibus Transportation Employee Testing Act of 1991 required drug and alcohol testing of safety sensitive employees in aviation, trucking, railroads, mass transit, and pipelines.  These industries included Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Maritime (USCG), Pipeline (PHMSA), Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), and the Federal Transit Authority (FTA). According to Department of Transportation data (2008), the number of workers who are subject to drug testing is approximately 6 million.

Private employers also saw the value of drug testing and instituted Drug-Free Workplace programs. Today, approximately 90% of Fortune 1000 companies and 62% of all employers in the United States have mandatory drug-testing programs. Several states have initiated legislation that rewards employers who institute drug testing for employees. They receive discounts on workers' compensation premiums if they comply with state drug testing regulations. Today 47 of the 50 states have legislation or court cases that regulate specific drug-testing requirements. In 2008, approximately 50 million drug screens were performed on employees by 40 different SAMHSA certified laboratories.