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Date: November 7, 2017
To: Sean Wynkoop, English Professor
From: Seth Knights, English Student
Subject: Recommendation Report for Decreasing Substance Abuse Impact in the Restaurant
Industry
Attached is the report for our study, “Decreasing Substance Abuse Impact in the Restaurant
Industry: A Recommendation Report.” I completed the tasks described in my proposal submitted October
24, 2017. I examined why substance abuse is so prevalent in the restaurant industry, and came across
many reasons for this fact. I researched the impact that substance abuse has on a workplace, finding that
these impacts were negative and quite significant. I looked into what statistics reveal about substance
abuse in the restaurant industry and discovered they were the industry affected more than any other.
After the reality of the problem of substance abuse in the restaurant industry was analyzed,
methods to combat it were researched. Using academic and professional sources through the database at
Hagerstown Community College, I learned of ways to decrease the severity of the problem. These
methods include Employee Assistance Programs, Employee Drug Testing, and Substance Abuse
Education Programs for employees. It is my recommendation that the restaurant industry implement these
methods to combat the many issues plaguing their industry due to substance abuse.
Hagerstown Community College
11400 Robinwood Drive
Hagerstown, MD 21742
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Decreasing Substance Abuse
Impact in the Restaurant
Industry: A Recommendation
Report
Prepared for: Sean Wynkoop
English Professor
Hagerstown Community College
Prepared by: Seth Knights
English Student
Hagerstown Community College
November 7, 2017
Hagerstown Community College
11400 Robinwood Drive
Hagerstown, MD 21742
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Abstract
“Decreasing Substance Abuse Impact in the Restaurant Industry: A Recommendation Report”
Prepared by: Seth Knights, English Student
On October 24, 2017, Professor Wynkoop approved a proposal by Seth Knights at Hagerstown
Community College to complete a study on the impact of substance abuse in the restaurant industry, and
to discover ways in which it can be improved. According to the National Council of Alcohol and Drug
Dependence, drug and alcohol abuse in the work-place causes many issues. These issues include death,
injury/ accident rates, and loss of production. Other issues include poor morale of employees, poor-
decision making and tardiness. Effort needs to be put into researching this subject to discover what can be
done to improve the issue of workplace substance-abuse. The negative impact of this abuse is especially
present in the restaurant industry. This report will take a look at why the impact is so prevalent there. We
will find out just how significant the issue is. Statistics will be accessed to reinforce the analysis of the
study. Different methods will be examined that can be implemented in the restaurant industry to combat
the negative impact substance abuse has there.
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Table of Contents
Research Areas …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 5
Why is Substance Abuse So Common in the Restaurant Industry? …………………………………………………. 5
What are the Negative Impacts of Substance Abuse at a Workplace? ……………………………………………. 6
What do Statistics Reveal About Substance Abuse in the Food Industry? ……………………………………….. 6
Options to Combat the Substance Abuse Problem ……………………………………………………….………………… 8
Employee Assistance Programs …………………………………………………………………………………………………. 8
