Why Medical Marijuana Is Secretly Saving Companies Millions in Lost Productivity

A new study reveals medical cannabis access drops health-related work absences by 6.9 percent, especially in physically demanding industries like manufacturing.

Chronic pain can make an average workday into an excruciating ordeal for employees. Nearly a quarter of American adults deal with chronic pain, especially those in physically demanding roles. This can lead not only to increased absenteeism, which results in billions of dollars of lost productivity per year, but also in higher levels of stress and lower levels of job satisfaction. For both employees and employees, this issue represents a major problem. 

However, according to a new study from the University of Georgia, medical cannabis may help with reducing these negative effects. The study found that in states that had decriminalized medical cannabis, health-related work absences tended to fall by 6.9 percent. To track rates of workplace absenteeism over time, this study analyzed 35 years of survey data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The effect of medical marijuana decriminalization was especially

The effect of medical marijuana decriminalization was especially strong for physically demanding workplaces. According to the study, “The most substantial reductions in health-related work absenteeism due to medical cannabis decriminalization are observed in occupations and industries that involve physical demands and repetitive strains of work, possibly leading to chronic pain issues.” This was especially true for employees who worked in manufacturing roles, but was also prevalent amongst other occupations that are prone to high levels of pain and strain such as nursing aides and farm workers. 

Some research has also shown that medical cannabis can also be a replacement for more risky pain management strategies. Heavy alcohol consumption, for example, is strongly correlated to high rates of workers absenteeism. While the research is still ongoing, some studies have shown that medical marijuana legalization leads to a significant decrease in alcohol purchases. In this case, if medical cannabis is replacing heavy drinking as a way for workers to manage pain, it could have significant benefits for both workers and the economy as a whole.

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Interestingly, the University of Georgia study found that legalization of recreational cannabis had no real impact on health-related absenteeism. The study cautioned that while legal medical cannabis has mainly positive effects on worker sick leave, the impacts of recreational cannabis were more mixed. In a previous study, researchers found that people with cannabis use disorders are more likely to have higher rates of absenteeism. Like all controlled substances, marijuana can have both helpful and harmful effects depending on the user’s habits. 

Of course, medical cannabis is not a cure

Of course, medical cannabis is not a cure for the underlying sources of chronic pain, especially for when that pain is caused by the workplace. Depending on your role, there are several long-term strategies to help reduce workplace pain, including exercise, physical therapy, and redesigning your work station to be less ergonomically taxing. However, this study shows that as a short-term solution, medical cannabis might be helping workers to manage their pain and therefore avoid having to take medically induced leave. 

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Source: www.inc.com