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Delta-9 THC — the psychoactive compound that marijuana smokers get high on — poses a real safety hazard in the workplace, not the harmless, harmless substance that many Americans might think.
Numerous recent studies have demonstrated the real and harmful effects of marijuana on the mind and body. A recent study of Canadian drivers found that people who used marijuana before or at work were at twice the risk of injury on the job as those who did not use marijuana. A peer-reviewed study, recently published in the journal BMJ, found that marijuana users were 22% more likely to visit the emergency room or be hospitalized than non-users. California is now considering adding mental health warning labels to marijuana products following the legalization of marijuana products, resulting in a 54 percent jump in emergency room visits for cannabis-induced psychosis.
Cannabis exposure, especially in the workplace, creates a dangerous environment for users, colleagues and clients. Marijuana is known to impair physical movement, cause difficulty thinking, and possibly even hallucinations and delusions when used in high doses. In the workplace, marijuana use can seriously affect tasks such as operating machinery, lifting heavy equipment, and critical repairs. In addition, marijuana users are about 10 percent more likely to become addicted, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, making marijuana labor force recruitment a constant hazard.
Positive attitudes towards the workforce also continue to grow as studies show that marijuana’s detrimental effects on safety are cumulative. According to the Quest Diagnostic Drug Testing Index, the marijuana positivity rate among the U.S. workforce as a whole increased by 8.3% (3.9% in 2021 and 3.6% in 2020), the highest positivity rate in 20 years. Growth rates were the most notable in the last five years, increasing by 50%. In addition, although not evidence of impairment, the post-employment positivity rate in 2021 was 63% higher than the pre-employment positivity rate. Other data suggests that actual marijuana use at work may be higher, with almost a third of professionals (29%) reporting using marijuana in the last three years while working at the office or at home.
The growing public acceptance of marijuana is not a good reason to ignore the dangers of negative attitudes towards drugs in the workplace. Research shows that positive attitudes towards marijuana pose a safety risk to employees. Research and data also support the case for drug testing of the workforce. As part of protecting the health of the workforce, employers cannot compromise on drug testing of the workforce. Drug testing of the workforce is a deterrent and countermeasure against marijuana incidents to determine if drugs are a factor. The safety of the workforce, the safety of society and the reputation of the company are at stake.
Editor’s Note: This article represents the independent views of the author and should not be construed as an endorsement by the National Security Council.
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Post time: Aug-19-2022