Employers fear young people’s cocaine use but overlook drinking pressure at workplace parties
22.09.2026 - Headlines about cocaine use can create the impression that “all young people” use cocaine. Meanwhile, young people entering the workforce encounter an unhealthy workplace culture that receives far less attention. Are employers too concerned about the substances young people might bring into working life, and not concerned enough about the culture they encounter when they get there?
Most people do not use cocaine
Although cocaine use has increased in Norway, it is still a clear minority of people who use the drug. Approximately 94 percent have never used cocaine.
Concern about increasing cocaine use is genuine and must be taken seriously. But if we exaggerate how common its use is among young people, we also contribute to the perception that far more people are doing something than is actually the case. This is known as a misperception of majority behaviour.
We are not downplaying cocaine use. Increasing use and a growing number of people receiving treatment for cocaine dependence are causes for concern. But we must be precise when discussing the problem. Concern about cocaine use among young people may be greater than the actual extent of use would suggest.
What do we know about apprentices, alcohol and drugs in working life?
The report Apprentices, Working Life and Substance Use, from KORUS South, is based on responses from 480 apprentices in Telemark and provides new insights into apprentices’ experiences with substance use in the workplace. The findings confirm what we at Akan Competence Centre experience when working with apprentices: they are largely similar to other employees and reflect the wider working population.
Among female apprentices, however, 12 percent report having experienced unwanted sexual attention in situations where colleagues had been drinking. This figure should raise concerns about the unhealthy workplace culture that apprentices encounter.
In the survey, 24 percent of apprentices say they have been directly encouraged to drink alcohol in work-related situations. The same proportion say they have drunk alcohol to make social gatherings easier to cope with. Eighteen percent have found colleagues bothersome because they had been drinking, and seven percent have avoided social events because they feel uncomfortable when colleagues become drunk.
When fear of cocaine meets the workplace drinking culture
Apprentices and young people who have just entered working life are in a vulnerable position. They are new, have limited experience and depend on their workplace and their employer’s assessment to complete their apprenticeship and secure future job opportunities. This can make it difficult for them to speak up when colleagues or managers cross boundaries.
It is understandable that employers are concerned about young employees using cocaine or cannabis. These substances are illegal and can pose risks to health, safety and the working environment. At the same time, however, young people report encountering an unhealthy workplace culture that employers themselves have helped create and allow to continue.
And this is where the paradox lies. On the one hand, there is the perception that “everyone uses cocaine”. On the other, there is a workplace drinking and party culture that communicates the message that “everyone drinks”. Both are misperceptions of majority behaviour that can create pressure, particularly for the youngest people in the workforce.
Businesses need knowledge and good procedures to prevent and manage problems. As managers or colleagues, it is not enough to ask what young people bring with them when they enter working life. We must also ask what they encounter once they are there.
Good substance use prevention is about facts, correcting misconceptions about what “everyone else” does, and building working environments where people feel safe making their own choices. We must talk to young people about the risks associated with cocaine and other illegal drugs. But employers must also be willing to examine their own workplace drinking culture.
Would you think it acceptable for a young person in your family, just starting their working life, to feel they have to drink at a workplace party, or to experience a manager’s unwelcome touch as the alcohol takes effect?
by Siri Gåsemyr Staalesen, Director of Akan Competence Centre, Norway
