Legal and ethical issues in the business environment Coursework

Legal and ethical issues in the business environment - Coursework Example Legal and ethical issues in the business environment The growing complexity in the business world has brought forward a serious problem that is growing at a rapid rate among numerous working individuals. The issue that is the primary focus of this paper is drug and alcohol abuse at workplace. In the light of current business scenario, use of drug and alcohol is growing steadily and can take the shape of a serious issue at workplace in the near future. Drugs and alcohol not only have negative impact on health of individuals who consume it but can prove hazardous for others present in the surrounding environment of the particular individual (Lowinson, 2005; Ghodse, 2005). Workplace problems are posed by consumption of illegal drugs as well as by misuse of legal prescription drugs and alcohol. It has been found in recent studies that legal drugs that have been prescribed by doctors can have strong impact on a person’s working capabilities such as level of concentration and alertness. Additionally, numerous individuals were also found to be heavily dependent on certain drugs for living a normal life and cannot function without the same. Consumption of alcohol and drugs socially may not have direct effect on the performance of an individual, however, if an individual attend work under the influence of these substances, it may result in adversity in terms of performance and productivity (Lowinson, 2005).