Substance abuse is one of the major social issues facing society today. It has a direct impact on not only the individual user, but also on society as a whole. Since it can have a large direct impact on productivity in the workplace, management needs to identify substance abusers in order to assist them in becoming fully productive members of the organization. The primary methodology used for detection of substance abuse in the workplace is urinalysis. Issues concerning the use of urinalysis involve the cost of the screening and confirmation test; the costly and humiliating chain of custody requirements; the questions of validity and reliability of the test; and the constitutional issues of unreasonable search and seizure, right against self-incrimination, and right to privacy. The proper role for drug testing in the workplace should only be as part of a contract between employees and the organization after their identification as substance abusers, their treatment, and return to the workplace. Alternatives for detection of substance abuse in the workplace include effective management development programs designed to provide trainees with proper observational skills, recordkeeping, and analytical abilities for a comprehensive basis of suspecting substance abuse; monitoring of performance; and conferences concerning work behaviors. 3 tables and 12 notes. (Author abstract modified)