Today is International Overdose Awareness Day. It’s true – Google it. Probably not much of a conversation in the workplace or the conference room. Probably more of a public health conversation, and well, “somebody” ought to be doing more about it. Right?

Well, you’re right – kind of. It is indeed a public health crisis of epic proportions and yes, somebody ought to be doing more about it. But while it may not be a central conversation in your day-to-day business structure, it should be – especially if you understand the fulfilling and lucrative business of helping the government solve its ‘people problems.’

Every single enterprise in every conceivable industry is impacted by the dark personal and individualized dilemma of substance abuse and addiction. It is a problem that chips away at workforce output and economic capacity more than we can imagine or care to reckon with. Construction workers, waiters and gig workers are impacted, but so are pharmacists, nurses, doctors, sales executives, airline pilots and air-traffic controllers. And they all die from addiction.  Data from the CDC and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health revealed that 388 of the 4,786 fatal work injuries in the year 2020 resulted from unintentional overdose from the use of non-medical drugs while at work. Other national surveys uncover that 15.3% of U.S. workers reported working under the influence of alcohol, and 2.9% reported being under the influence of illicit drugs while on the job. Nearly 92,000 persons in the U.S. died from drug-involved overdose in 2020, including illicit drugs and prescription opioids. That would be more than 450 airplane crashes in a single year. Alcohol and drug addiction cost the U.S. economy over $600 billion every year.

Okay, perhaps you can reconsider how this conversation should govern how you manage and how you pursue contract relationships with government entities that need solutions.  Among our clients doing valuable work with governments, JOGO Health has pioneered innovations to address pain without pharmaceuticals. Such is just one example of how any enterprise can do more about helping the government with its ‘people problems’ that impact us all.

The VendorshipJourney TM is powered by more than 65 years of high-level executive government management, procurement and appropriations experience to better position any company, large or small, to sustain valuable longer-term partnerships with government to satisfy the shifting dynamics of constituent need.