The global drug of abuse testing services market size was estimated at USD 6.33 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.91% by 2030. The market is witnessing growth due to factors such as emerging testing programs and escalating prevalence rate of substance abuse disorders such as cannabis/marijuana and opioids. Moreover, other factors, such as the detection of illicit & certain prescription drugs, and alcohol, are expected to drive market demand. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), in 2020 around 275 million people used drugs worldwide, while according to the 2021 World Drug Report, over 36 million people suffered from use disorders.
Additionally, according to the United Nations, 158.8 million people globally use marijuana, and more than 3.8% of the planet's population. Furthermore, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) by SAMHSA mentioned that in 2021, among people aged 12 or older, about 61.2 million people (or 21.9% population) used illicit drugs in 2020. Moreover, 52.5 million people used marijuana. Hence, the growing addiction to cannabis/marijuana among youth drives the need for service.
The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has created rising requirements for testing. In 2020, there were 91,799 deaths in the U.S. due to overdoses. In addition, the rate of overdose in age-adjusted deaths increased by 31% from 2019 to 2020. Furthermore, 106,699 overdose deaths occurred in 2021 as a result of an age-adjusted rate of 32.4 per 100,000 population. This factor has created rising requirements for testing services for drugs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The growing awareness among the population and the unmet need for treatment of addiction and illicit medication use among youth and adults is anticipated to propel the drug of abuse testing services market growth. Thereby, several players are focusing on developing various services and programs. For instance, in March 2022, Texas Health & Human Services launched a public awareness campaign of USD 23.2 million to prevent substance abuse disorder & help gain access to services & treatment.
Increasing number of nations are mandating the use of drug tests to reduce drug-propelled crime rates. For instance, in October 2022, the UK government announced that it would conduct random mandatory drug testing in people released from prison to reduce crime in the nation. UK has invested USD 1.54 million in the mission and will test for 14 different drugs.
The Cannabis/Marijuana segment dominated the market and held the largest revenue share of 23.98% in 2022. High shares of the segment are primarily due to increased marijuana testing, including medical screening and employment testing. Besides, the increasing prevalence of cannabis/marijuana addiction has led to the requirement. According to WHO, nearly 147 million people, which is approximately 2.5% of the world’s population, consume cannabis each year compared with opioid consumption by 0.2% and cocaine consumption by 0.2%. Thereby, the segment is anticipated to witness rising demand for services as these are ideal for criminal justice, treatment centers, workplace, & clinical setting screening programs, among others.
The opioids segment is projected to witness a substantial CAGR from 2023 to 2030. The lucrative growth of this segment is majorly driven by the demand for employment and for monitoring prescription misuse. Furthermore, opioid testing is mostly performed on a patient’s blood, hair, saliva, sweat, or urine. Thereby, opioid abuse contributes to market demand.
North America dominated the market for drug of abuse testing services and accounted for the largest revenue share of 52.77% in 2022. The growing population exposed to addiction, rising use in the workplace, a growing number of accidents, and well-established healthcare facilities are expected to drive the demand. Furthermore, the National Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependence (NCADD) mentioned 70% of the 14.8 million employed U.S. citizens use abuse drugs. Likewise, according to the National Drug-Free Workplace Alliance, more than 74% of current illegal drug users are employed, creating up to 40% of the U.S industrial fatalities. Additionally, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China, 46% of U.S. drug users report having experience using cannabis & prescription stimulants, 36% opioids & methamphetamine, 31% prescription stimulants, 15% heroin, and 10% cocaine. Hence, the region has an emerging demand for tests owing to the provision of an effective way to keep employees safe & healthy.
Asia Pacific is estimated to show the fastest growth in the market for drug of abuse testing services over the forecast period. This can be attributed to a continuous high level of drug-related activity in Asian countries, coupled with strict drug control policies. Besides, developing healthcare infrastructure, drug intelligence exchange, law enforcement cooperation with Asian countries, anti-drug campaigns to reduce trafficking, and increasing government initiatives to has positively impacted the growth. In addition, the rising incidence rate of alcohol, cannabis/marijuana, and opioid addiction in Asian countries is expected to boost the growth in the region.
The major market players operating are focused on adopting strategic initiatives such as launches, mergers & acquisitions, partnerships, etc. Furthermore, several players are focusing on the development of testing services, thereby boosting the demand. For instance, in December 2022, Omega Laboratories announced the launch of Urine Drugs of Abuse testing services in Canada. Adding to that, from January 2023, the laboratory will offer urine testing to complement its molecular testing. Some of the key players in the global drug of abuse testing services market include:
Quest Diagnostics
Abbott
Clinical Reference Laboratory (CRL), Inc.
Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings
Cordant Health Solutions
Legacy Medical Services
DrugScan
Omega Laboratories, Inc.
Psychemedics Corporation
Millennium Health, LLC
Mayo Clinic Laboratories
Precision Diagnostics
American Substance Abuse Professionals (ASAP), Inc.
United States Drug Testing Laboratories (USDTL), Inc.
LGC Group
Report Attribute |
Details |
Market size value in 2023 |
USD 6.53 billion |
Revenue forecast in 2030 |
USD 8.54 billion |
Growth rate |
CAGR of 3.91% from 2023 to 2030 |
Base year for estimation |
2022 |
Historical data |
2018 - 2021 |
Forecast period |
2023 - 2030 |
Report updated |
September 2023 |
Quantitative units |
Revenue in (USD billion/million) and CAGR from 2023 to 2030 |
Report coverage |
Revenue forecast, company ranking, competitive landscape, growth factors, and trends |
Segments covered |
Drug type, region |
Regional scope |
North America; Europe; Asia Pacific; Latin America; Middle East & Africa |
Country scope |
U.S.; Canada; Germany; U.K. ; France; Spain; Italy; Denmark; Norway; Sweden; Japan; China; India; Australia; South Korea; Thailand; Brazil; Mexico; Argentina; South Africa ; Saudi Arabia; UAE; Kuwait |
Key companies profiled |
Quest Diagnostics; Abbott; Clinical Reference Laboratory (CRL), Inc.; Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings; Cordant Health Solutions; Legacy Medical Services; DrugScan; Omega Laboratories, Inc.; Psychemedics Corporation; Millennium Health, LLC; Mayo Clinic Laboratories; Precision Diagnostics; American Substance Abuse Professionals (ASAP), Inc.; United States Drug Testing Laboratories (USDTL), Inc.; LGC Group |
Customization scope |
Free report customization (equivalent up to 8 analyst’s working days) with purchase. Addition or alteration to country, regional & segment scope. |
Pricing and purchase options |
Avail customized purchase options to meet your exact research needs. Explore purchase options |
This report forecasts revenue growth and provides an analysis on the latest trends in each of the sub-segments from 2018 to 2030. For this report, Grand View Research has segmented the global drug of abuse testing services market report on thedrug type, and region:
Drug Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)
Alcohol
Cannabis/Marijuana
Cocaine
Opioids
Amphetamine & Methamphetamine
LSD
Others
Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)
North America
U.S.
Canada
Europe
Germany
U.K.
France
Italy
Spain
Denmark
Sweden
Norway
Asia Pacific
Japan
China
India
Australia
South Korea
Thailand
Latin America
Brazil
Mexico
Argentina
Middle East and Africa
South Africa
Saudi Arabia
UAE
Kuwait
b. The global drug of abuse testing services market size was estimated at USD 6.33 billion in 2022 and is expected to reach USD 6.53 billion in 2023.
b. The global drug of abuse testing services market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 3.91% from 2023 to 2030 to reach USD 8.54 billion by 2030.
b. The cannabis segment dominated the drug of abuse testing services market with a share of 23.98% in 2022. This is attributable to the increased cannabis abuse in key regions such as North America and Europe.
b. Some key players operating in the drug of abuse testing services market include Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings (LabCorp); Alere Inc.; United States Drug Testing Laboratories, Inc. (USDTL); and Quest Diagnostics, Inc.
b. Key factors that are driving the drug of abuse testing services market growth include the rising prevalence of drug abuse, the introduction of advanced drug testing solutions, and increasing government initiatives.
NEED A CUSTOM REPORT?
We can customize every report - free of charge - including purchasing stand-alone sections or country-level reports, as well as offer affordable discounts for start-ups & universities. Contact us now
We are GDPR and CCPA compliant! Your transaction & personal information is safe and secure. For more details, please read our privacy policy.
"The quality of research they have done for us has been excellent."