At a recent Workers’ Compensation Education Conference, the senior vice president at PRIUM talked about the impact opioid and heroin use is having on the workers’ compensation system. Within this system, there is a growing acceptance that marijuana – a federally illegal controlled substance – could be an acceptable medical treatment, leading to payers reimbursing for cannabis in at least six states. Financially prudent from a business standpoint, medicinal marijuana could be necessary in the treatment of injured workers. Businesses should begin working marijuana into risk management programs and evaluating policies regarding testing in preparation for the growing acceptance of its medicinal use.
Implications of Marijuana Legalization and Opioid Use to the Workplace and the Workers’ Compensation System
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