Information Notice No. 82-05: Increasing Frequency of Drug-Related Incidents

                                                            SSINS No.:  6835
                                                            Accession No.: 
                                                            8202040104 
                                                            IN 82-05 
                                UNITED STATES
                        NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
                    OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT
                           WASHINGTON, D.C.  20555

                               March 10, 1982

Information Notice No. 82-05:  INCREASING FREQUENCY OF DRUG-RELATED 
                                  INCIDENTS 

Description of Circumstances: 

Based on data reported to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and either
published or to be published in the Safeguards Summary Event List (NUREG-
0525), the number of drug-related incidents in which licensee or contractor 
employees were arrested or terminated has increased dramatically in the past
year.  During the last 5 years, the increasing trend is as follows:  two in 
1977; none in 1978; one in 1979; five in 1980; and twelve in 1981.  Thus far
in 1982, Regional Preliminary Notifications dealing with at least four new 
drug-related incidents have been issued.  The reported incidents implicate a
range of licensee or contractor personnel, including personnel in 
construction, operations and security.  The reported incidents are 
widespread geographically, and involve power reactor sites in each of the 
five NRC regions. 

Reported incidents have involved both onsite use or possession of drugs and 
personnel reporting to work under the influence of controlled substances. 
Marijuana was the most frequently reported controlled substance involved in 
these events; however, incidents involving amphetamines, cocaine, hashish, 
phencyclidine and methaqualone have also been reported. 

Given the alarming increase in reported drug-related incidents, the wide 
range of personnel implicated, and the pervasiveness of the reports on a 
national basis, the Office of Inspection and Enforcement (IE) has 
established a Drug Abuse Task Force to address the problem on a generic 
basis.  IE has given top priority to the prompt and effective development of 
a generic approach to the problem of possible drug (including alcohol) abuse 
by licensee or contractor personnel.  As such, IE solicits relevant licensee 
experience in this undertaking.  Teams from the Task Force are presently 
gathering information in a series of visits to selected licensees to discuss 
the drug problem and possible generic approaches that would best address the 
problem. 

The Task Force is also collaborating with other members of the NRC staff to 
explore several regulatory approaches to the drug problem.  The information 
obtained from the series of utility visits will be factored into the results
of the inter-office efforts. 

This information notice is provided as an early notification of a 
potentially significant matter.  It is expected that recipients will review 
the information for applicability to their facilities.  No specific action 
or response is required at this time.  If you have any questions regarding 
this matter, please contact the Regional Administrator or the appropriate 
NRC Regional Office. 

Attachment:
Recently issued IE Information Notices