More than one in 10 people in the East of England have suspected a colleague of taking illegal drugs while at work, new research shows.

The data from Intelligent Fingerprinting also shows 17% of people in the region made no move to confront the person they suspected of drug use – despite 46% worrying that working alongside someone under the influence of drugs would make their workplace unsafe.

The company, a spin-out from the UEA now based in Cambridge, has begun supplying fingerprinting drug screening tests to businesses which can detect the use of multiple drugs.

Business development director Dr Paul Yates said the non-invasive tests are already generating interest from health and safety managers and occupational health professionals.

'What is notable from the research is that colleagues are reluctant to act – perhaps because they do not have the ability to provide proof or evidence that drug usage has actually taken place,' he said.