The use of psychoactive substances such as tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, or other illicit drugs has harmful effects on health. The short- and long-term health and social problems associated with psychoactive substance use (PSU) make it one of the leading causes of preventable mortality in France.

Santé publique France has published the results of its Health Barometer focused on psychoactive substance use in the workplace. Updating findings from 2010, this study highlights disparities in use across different occupational sectors. By contributing to a better understanding of workplace health promotion and occupational risk prevention, these results underscore the importance of addiction prevention initiatives in the workplace.

Higher rates of use in certain occupational sectors than in others

Based on a sample of over 25,000 people, including 14,604 employed individuals aged 18–64, the Santé publique France Health Barometer¹ mapped psychoactive substance use by occupational sector.

The results suggest higher-than-average levels of use in the accommodation and food services sector, and in the arts, entertainment, and recreation sector for virtually all substances (excluding daily alcohol consumption), among both men and women. Among the sectors studied, some have a higher proportion of legal drug users. The construction sector is notably characterized by particularly high levels of tobacco and alcohol use among men, as are agriculture, forestry, and fishing, as well as real estate activities. The arts, entertainment, and recreation sector, meanwhile, is associated with more frequent experimentation with illicit substances among both men and women, and higher rates of monthly heavy drinking episodes (API) among men.

Other sectors are associated with below-average consumption levels depending on the product, particularly among men. These include public administration (tobacco, cannabis within the year), education (tobacco, BVA), human health and social work (daily alcohol), information and communication (tobacco, daily alcohol consumption), electricity, gas, steam, and air conditioning supply (daily alcohol consumption, MDMA/ecstasy/amphetamines), and professional, scientific, and technical activities (tobacco).

Summary table of results

Many of these observations had already been made in 2010; nevertheless, a few new findings emerged: more frequent tobacco and alcohol use in the real estate sector, while use in the manufacturing (alcohol, tobacco) and trade (tobacco) sectors is closer to the average.

Alcohol consumption at work: workplace culture and practices that vary by sector

Among employed individuals, 12% (14% of men and 9% of women) report that alcohol consumption at work is part of their workplace culture. For both men and women, these proportions are higher in the agriculture, forestry, and fishing; construction; accommodation and food services; and arts, entertainment, and recreation sectors, and lower in the education and human health and social work sectors.

Certain sectors stand out from others in terms of drinking alcohol at lunch on workdays at least once a month. Indeed, this practice is more widespread in the agriculture, forestry, and fishing sectors, construction, financial and insurance activities, as well as professional, scientific, and technical activities, and is conversely less common in the manufacturing, transportation and warehousing, education, and human health and social work sectors.

However, it should be noted that the majority of employed individuals reported never consuming alcohol during lunch on workdays: 62% of men and 78% of women, while 22% and 77% respectively reported drinking at least once a month, and 16% of men and 15% of women less than once a month.

Furthermore, 89% of men and 95% of women reported never consuming alcohol during work hours (excluding meals and after-work gatherings), with 6% and 4% doing so less than once a month and 5% and 1% doing so more often.

Finally, among men, consuming alcohol during work hours (excluding meals and social gatherings) at least once a month is more common in the agriculture, forestry, and fishing; construction; accommodation and food services; and arts, entertainment, and recreational activities; sectors where it is less common include manufacturing, transportation and warehousing, and human health and social work. Among women, this behavior is more frequently observed in the accommodation and food services sector and in other service activities.

• Learn more about the 2017 Health Barometer from Santé publique France