Cocaine detection in Aussie workplaces doubled in 2025

These findings form part of a larger and disturbing trend in workplace detection and highlight the need for proactive, immediate action.

The Drug Detection Agency’s (TDDA) Q4 Imperans report revealed cocaine has emerged as the fastest-growing workplace drug risk, with detection rising from 5.7 per cent to 10.9 per cent from Q1 to Q4 last year.

While overall drug detection remained relatively steady, composition data is shifting.

Of all positive tests, cannabis presented at a rate of 45.7 per cent, down 0.7 per cent from Q3. Q3 also saw amphetamine-type substances (ATS) detection decrease by 9.2 per cent, opioids, including oxycodone, down just over 1 per cent, and benzodiazepines presenting 3.1 per cent less.

And while these other drugs remained strong contributors to testing statistics, numbers had either significantly or, at least, marginally decreased, while cocaine recorded a consistent upward trend nationally.

According to TDDA CEO Glenn Dobson, the increased prevalence of cocaine represents a significant threat to safety-critical environments where “overconfidence and poor judgement” is especially risky.

In addition to national findings, regional trends were identified, with NSW recording the highest proportion of cocaine detection of all Australian states, a shocking 19.76 per cent.

This calls attention to the need to do more, according to Dobson, who added: “Employers in affected regions should reinforce education and testing. No one wants impaired workers operating forklifts or mining equipment.”

He added that continued growth over successive quarters means the findings “cannot be dismissed as a seasonal fluctuation”.

However, recent findings from TDDA’s inaugural Health and Safety Policy Survey found a lack of confidence in drug policies, workplace systems and programs. Despite results being gathered from safety-conscious industries such as mining, infrastructure, and agriculture, more than a fifth of surveyed businesses either hadn’t reviewed their drug policies in over a year or couldn’t remember when it was last assessed.

The main issue, the report identified, was how quickly trends emerged and disappeared in types of drugs identified, and resulting lagging policy that couldn’t keep up – and the latest Q4 results prove this remains a relevant issue.

Perhaps state-level insight is the key to supporting proactive workplace risk management and, as Dobson highlighted, the development of policy and impairment management that reflects emerging rather than historical patterns.

Results were aggregated from 19 clinics and over 50 mobile locations throughout Australia, targeting Q4 (1 October through 31 December) 2025. Data were gathered from pre-employment, post-incident, regular, and random testing through oral and urine fluid screening.