Hawaii workers’ use of crystal methamphetamine, commonly known as “ice,” grew in the third quarter to 0.8 percent from 0.7 percent in the same period a year ago.

Marijuana use rose to 2.3 percent in the quarter from 2.2 percent, according to the latest workplace drug testing report by Diagnostic Laboratory Services Inc.

“The bottom line is it’s not going away. The drug abuse is always there,” said Carl Linden, DLS’ scientific director of toxicology. “Some drugs become more easily available, so it might trend one way or the other for this drug or that drug. But by and large it never goes away.”

As Hawaii’s first medical marijuana dispensaries open, use of the drug in the workplace will likely rise, he said.

“More employers are kind of wringing their hands. Some employers feel that with medical marijuana they’re bound to reasonable accommodation for some reason, which they really aren’t,” Linden said. “The employer doesn’t have to. If we move towards recreational marijuana, like Colorado, then it’s going to become even more of an issue.”

Use of synthetic urine increased to 1.1 percent from 1 percent, while opiates fell to 0.1 percent from 0.2 percent, not including opiates prescribed by physicians. Cocaine use was flat at 0.3 percent.

DLS’ quarterly sample size typically includes between 7,000 and 10,000 drug tests.

In 2012, Hawaii banned several categories of “legal” synthetic drugs, such as bath salts, but federal and state regulations prohibit those from being included in workplace drug testing unless a physician orders it.