NSC launches cannabis safety resources

Itasca, IL — The National Safety Council wants to help employers and employees understand the impact cannabis use can have on workplace safety.

A 2021 survey conducted by NSC shows that 1 out of 3 workers have seen cannabis use during work hours, “highlighting the need for policies that put worker safety, health and well-being first,” the council says.

Other key findings:

• More than half of employers who eliminated testing for THC – the psychoactive compound that gives cannabis users a high – reported an increase in incidents or workplace performance concerns.
• Most employers believe their employees would feel comfortable telling their supervisor if they were too impaired to work, while less than half of employees reported they’d feel comfortable doing so.
• Less than half of organizations have a written policy to address cannabis use.

“Cannabis can significantly impair judgment, motor coordination and reaction time,” said Katie Mueller, a senior program manager at NSC. “Whether workers are operating heavy machinery, working at height or just heading home after a shift, these effects can put entire workforces and the larger public at risk, and as legalization spreads across the country, NSC urges employers, state regulators, policymakers, business leaders and individuals to put safety first. Making informed, evidence-based decisions is critical to safety for all.”

To help guide those decisions, NSC has released a consumer safety report and an interactive web tool, and will conduct a series of public webinars.

The report is based on a recent study of state cannabis testing regulations and highlights “current obstacles and needed reforms for consumer safety and health.” The web tool, meanwhile, provides a user-friendly look at high-level cannabis legalization, regulation and testing requirements by state. Lastly, the series of free webinars is geared for anyone interested in learning about cannabis safety.

The webinars:

• Cannabis Legalization & Regulation: Lessons Learned From State Regulators (noon Eastern on May 3) – Join NSC; the Cannabis Regulators Association; and regulators from Nevada, Maryland and Missouri as they share what they’ve learned about cannabis regulation in their states.
• How Can You Have Safe Cannabis Without Standards and GMPs? (1 p.m. Eastern on May 31) – Join NSC and David Vaillencourt, CEO and founder of The GMP Collective, to learn more about cannabis guidelines and good manufacturing practices to ensure worker and consumer safety.
• 2023 Update on Drug Testing & Workplace Safety (1 p.m. Eastern on June 2) – Join NSC and attorney Adele Abrams for a discussion on workplace safety and drug testing recommendations specific to cannabis.