Workplace going to pot: business group

Comments

  Canada’s largest business group is calling on the federal government to douse plans of decriminalizing marijuana until more studies are done into the affects  pot smoking has on workplace safety. The influential cooperative warns the nation’s economy may be at risk; and that productivity could suffer if pot smokers show up at work stoned.

 
The Canadian Council of Chief Executives, which represents 150 major multinational corporations, says pushing ahead with the legislation could increase injuries, absenteeism and poor job performance. Executive vice-president David Stewart-Patterson said substance abuse in the workplace is costing the economy an estimated $18.4-billion a year, and that is likely to be exacerbated by the relaxation of cannabis laws.

''We really don't know what the effect is going to be on the workplace in terms of health and safety, in terms of productivity and absenteeism and employer-paid health costs,'' said Stewart-Patterson.

''Maybe it would be a good idea to do our homework and figure out what those costs might be so we can make an informed choice before going ahead with the bill.'' There are only a few known studies of the effects of cannabis use in the workplace but none has been done in Canada, according to Stewart-Patterson, whose organization has been researching the subject.

  
 Stewart-Patterson points to a 1999 study of New Zealand forestry workers that suggests looser drug laws could lead to higher on-the-job injuries and lost days.

 
The Canterbury University study discovered cannabis users in New Zealand's forestry sector had almost three times as many lost-time injuries as non-users and twice the number of sick days off.

  Legalizing marijuana in Canada would lead to a surge in inexperienced users who could be putting themselves at risk in the workplace, according to a workplace health and safety expert. Martin Shain, a senior scientist with the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.

  "Users tend to feel that their performance is enhanced by marijuana," he said. "It's more likely to be associated with loss of concentration, inability to focus, general wash-out fatigue."

   
Although there is little Canadian research on the topic, according to Dr. Shain, U.S. studies have shown marijuana users are less likely than non-users to commit to their company, have less faith in management and are more likely to experience low job satisfaction.

 
The workers also reported more absenteeism, tardiness, accidents, worker's compensation claims and job turnover. They were more likely to report to work with a hangover, miss work because of a hangover and be drunk or use drugs at work, according to the findings of the studies, supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

 
Although medical research has found marijuana can relieve symptoms for people suffering from everything from chronic pain to nausea induced by chemotherapy or AIDS treatments, side effects can include short-term memory problems, and in some people smoking or ingesting marijuana can trigger hallucinations or paranoia. Some studies have shown it can also worsen or trigger pre-existing psychiatric conditions.

 
It has also been found to impair driving.

Workplaces that attract mostly young men tend to have higher rates of recreational drug use among staff -- this simply reflects the risk-taking behaviour of young men, Dr. Shain said. Between 6% and 15% of the workforce in Canada reports recreational drug use, and 2% to 3% reports regular drug use.

Alcohol and such prescription drugs as tranquillizers and sleeping pills present a far greater problem than recreational drug use, Dr. Shain said.

He believes legalizing marijuana could also lead to loss of privacy in the workplace as more companies decide to test for the drug. However, a positive test does not mean a person is under the influence -- trace amounts can be detected long after the effects of the drugs have worn off.

 
Although the users said getting stoned helped them do a ''better quality job,'' the study concluded that cannabis use actually increased their fatigue and the chances they would make errors in judgment and get involved in an accident.

 
The U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse also lists a 1996 study by Texas Christian University of marijuana use among 4,600 municipal employees in four cities in the Southwest. About 8% were marijuana users and the survey found they reported more absenteeism, tardiness, compensation claims and job turnover than workers who had not used the drug.WSN