Cannabis and Work: Need for More Research

Details

• Personal Author:
  Howard J ; Osborne J
• Description:
  Cannabis sativa is one of the oldest and most widely used plants in the world with a variety of industrial, medical, and nonmedical applications. Despite its long history, cannabis-derived products remain a source of controversy across the fields of medicine, law, and occupational safety and health. More favorable public attitudes about cannabis in the US have resulted in greater access to cannabis through legalization by states, leading to more consumption by workers. As more states adopt cannabis access laws, and as more workers choose to consume cannabis products, the implications for existing workplace policies, programs, and practices become more salient. Past workplace practices were grounded in a time when cannabis consumption was always viewed as problematic, considered a moral failing, and was universally illegal. Shifting cultural views and the changing legal status of cannabis indicate a need for research into the implications and challenges relating to cannabis and work. This commentary suggests research needs in the following areas: (a) data about industries and occupations where cannabis consumption among workers is most prevalent; (b) adverse health consequences of cannabis consumption among workers; (c) workplace supported recovery programs; (d) hazards to workers in the emerging cannabis industry; (e) relationship between cannabis consumption and occupational injuries; (f) ways to assess performance deficits and impairment from cannabis consumption; (g) consumption of synthetic cannabinoids to evade detection by drug testing; (h) cannabis consumption and its effect on occupational driving; and (i) ways to craft workplace policies and practices that take into consideration conflicting state and federal laws pertaining to cannabis. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Cannabis Hazardous Substances Health Promotion Occupational Health Safety Substance-Related Disorders Workplace
• Keywords:
  Drug Abuse Drugs Health Effects Health Hazards Health Programs Medical Treatment Medicinal Chemicals Plants Work Environment Workers Worker Safety

  More +
• ISSN:
  0271-3586
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  District of Columbia ; Georgia ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 4
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  OD - Office of the Director
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  63
• Issue:
  11
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20060637
• Citation:
  Am J Ind Med 2020 Nov; 63(11):963-972
• Contact Point Address:
  John Howard, MD, Office of the Director, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 395 E St, S. W., Suite 9200, Washington, DC 20201
• Email:
  jhoward1@cdc.gov
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2021
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  American Journal of Industrial Medicine
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:648b67a8ce10e68c8635c196e15ea1013a1175ba5f44d3e3a6a957af6d60bbfec8d0183a503716ab1a11ec515e51e99ecffd94b3774062bf82c9a6c70a7b1897
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/224487/cdc_224487_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 622.20 KB ]