11-06-2019
The National Safety Council, a nongovernmental nonprofit entity, has issued a position statement finding that no amount of cannabis use is safe for those employees who work in “safety-sensitive” positions. The Council asserted that there is an increased risk of injury or death to the operator or others while under the influence of marijuana. “Research is clear that cannabis impacts psychomotor skills and cognitive ability,” according to the statement. “Safety sensitive” jobs are defined as jobs that “impact the safety of the employee and the safety of others as a result of performing that job.”
The position statement remarks that cannabis is the most widely used illicit substance in the world. Data cited from the National Institute on Drug Abuse found that employees testing positive had 55% more industrial accidents, 85% more injuries, and 75% greater absenteeism. THC levels in the body do not always correlate to the level of impairment like blood alcohol levels do with drinking.
According to the Council, 46 states allow the use of marijuana for medical purposes although it is illegal under federal law. 23 states have decriminalized the use of marijuana while ten states and the District of Columbia have legalized small amounts of marijuana for adult recreational use. There is some evidence that vehicle crashes went up 52% in Colorado following the legalization of cannabis. The National Safety Council concludes with a call for further research and policy discussion.