AOHC Encore 2024-206 Navigating Workplace Cannabis Impairment Amidst Cannabis Legalization: Insights from Canada with Relevance for Safety-Sensitive Workplaces

206 Navigating Workplace Cannabis Impairment Amidst Cannabis Legalization: Insights from Canada with Relevance for Safety-Sensitive Workplaces

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Video Transcription

Video Summary

Dr. Melissa Snyder-Adler, an addiction medicine physician, addresses the challenges of managing cannabis use in the workplace post-legalization. She distinguishes between intoxication and impairment, advocating for clear policies tailored to each industry's risk tolerance. Dr. Snyder-Adler discusses testing methods like oral fluid testing and stresses the importance of confirmation cutoff levels to refine detection windows. She highlights the impact of THC cutoff levels on detection timeframes and the need to balance detection with impairment concerns, especially in safety-critical professions. The talk covers challenges in drug testing policies for 24/7 shift workers and potential methods of cheating, like mouthwashes. She mentions standardized dosing in medical marijuana, effects of high altitudes on impairment, and individual responses to cannabis products. Dr. Snyder-Adler also clarifies that topicals typically don't cause THC absorption unless skin is compromised, and delves into testing complexities in workplace drug policies. Overall, she advocates for thoughtful policies and personalized evaluations to address cannabis use in diverse workplaces effectively.

Keywords

Melissa Snyder-Adler

addiction medicine physician

cannabis use

workplace post-legalization

intoxication vs impairment

oral fluid testing

THC cutoff levels

drug testing policies

medical marijuana dosing

workplace drug policies