Cannabis and opiates accounted for the majority of drugs detected in the workplace, figures show.
Released statistics from the New Zealand Drug Detection Agency show Otago and Southland recorded positive drug tests of 4% and 6% respectively.
Of those positive tests, cannabis was the most prevalent illicit drug, accounting for 54% of positive Otago tests, and Southland 62%.
Both regions were well below the national average of 71% of total positives being cannabis, agency chief executive Chris Hilson said.
The use of opiates (including codeine) remained high in the South Island. In Otago opiates made up 41% of positive results, the highest percentage in the country and more than twice the national average of 18%.
Nationwide, methamphetamine was found in 6% of non-negative tests, with Otago recording 3% and Southland 2%. The increase in the number of on-site workplace drug tests showed employers were taking workplace safety ''very seriously''.
Agency Otago-Southland general manager John Galliven said all screened drugs posed a health and safety risk, not only to themselves ''but also threaten the health and safety of their work colleagues and may extend to the general public''.
Nationwide, most testing took place in safety-conscious sectors, such as forestry, aviation and construction.
The main sectors the Dunedin office dealt with were transport, mining and port services. The city forestry sector is expected to use
testing services this year.
Testing is due to start soon at a recently-opened Queenstown office.
NZ Drug Detection Agency
• In 2012, the agency conducted 68,561 on-site screening tests, up from 52,124 in 2011.
Of those, 6.4% tested ''non-negative'', indicating the presence of a drug, down from 7% in 2011.
• It also carried out 39,369 breath-alcohol tests, up from the 29,791 in 2011. Of those, 0.4% were positive, the same as 2011.
• Cannabis was the most frequently detected drug, with 71% of the non-negative results indicating this drug, up from 68.5%
