One of the most prevalent problems in the oil field industry is drug use. Many truckers in the oil industry found ways to beat random drug tests, all the while consuming a cocktail of drugs to push themselves as much as possible on drives that could last 36 to 48 straight hours.
Law enforcement officials report drug trafficking, drug abuse, and drug-related crimes have spiked in recent years. Thousands of oil field workers have turned to drugs to deal with the boredom and potential earnings of several energy booms. Recently, drillers of all sizes have invested billions into the prolific Permian Basin this year, rebuilding operations after a 2-year oil bust. As the market contributes to some new, high-paying driving jobs, the oil rush is also adding to an expanding demand for illegal drugs.
In West Texas, the drug of choice seems to be methamphetamine (crystal meth), a powerful stimulant oil field workers use to cope with long work hours in Texas heat. This drug is increasingly supplied through Mexican drug cartels, according to law enforcement.
An analysis from the Texas Department of Public Safety and Baker Hughes, the Houston oil-field services company, found a correlation between rising drilling activity and the number of crystal meth-related seizures in the area surrounding the Permian Basin.
Large oil companies and oil field contractors claim they have adopted a more stringent drug-testing policy in recent years, but substance abuse specialists believe drug-test failure figures grossly underestimate the number of oil field workers who abuse drugs. Around 1,200 people have checked themselves into the Parmer Drug Abuse Program in the first 6 months of the year.
If you or a loved one are being harmed by the oil industry, don’t hesitate to call us. Our skilled San Antonio oil field accidents attorney is here to help. He has more than a decade of experience assisting Texas workers get compensation for their work-related industries. Let us see what we can do for you.
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