The U.S. Department of Labor announced that national Drug-Free Work Week would take place Oct. 20-26, 2008. Activities are scheduled to help employers, supervisors and workers understand how to implement effective drug-free workplace programs that focus on detection and deterrence, while also offering assistance and support for workers who may have substance abuse problems.

The purpose of Drug-Free Work Week is to educate employers, employees and the public about the importance of being drug-free as an essential component of a safe and healthful workplace.

According to studies conducted by researchers at the University of Buffalo’s Research Institute on Addictions, an estimated 14.1 percent of working adults in the United States (17.7 million) used illegal drugs in 2007, with an estimated 3.1 percent (3.9 million) doing so before reporting to work or during working hours.

The third annual drug-free campaign is a collaborative effort organized by the Labor Department, members of its Drug-Free Workplace Alliance, and other public and private sector groups dedicated to safe and healthy workplaces.

For additional information, and tips on how to promote drug-free workplace messages, go to www.dol.gov/drugfreeworkweek.