NSC Announces New Cannabis-Focused Report, Web Tool and Webinars
A 2021 NSC report showed that about one in three surveyed employees noticed someone using cannabis during work hours.
- By Alex Saurman
- Apr 26, 2023
Looking for resources on cannabis safety? The National Safety Council (NSC) may have what you need.
Late last week, the organization published three new resources on this topic. As more and more states have moved to legalize medical and recreational cannabis use in recent years, the conversations surrounding cannabis use and safety have grown.
In 2021, an NSC report found that 34 percent of 1,000 surveyed employees saw people using cannabis during work hours. Why is this a concern? According to a webinar from The Institute for Work & Health, cannabis use can cause people to become drowsy, affect memory and lead to “poor coordination.” These can all affect safety on a worksite.
“Cannabis can significantly impair judgment, motor coordination and reaction time,” said Katie Mueller, a senior program manager at NSC focusing on cannabis safety, in a news release. “Whether workers are operating heavy machinery, working at heights 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.”
One of the three newly released resources from NSC is a consumer safety report titled “State Cannabis Testing Programs: Current Obstacles and Needed Reforms for Consumer Safety and Health.” This report, which also includes recommendations from the organization, is available to download for free on NSC’s website.
In addition to publishing this report, NSC announced that it will be hosting a few webinars on this topic, including “Cannabis Legalization & Regulation: Lessons Learned from State Regulators” on May 3 at noon ET, “How Can You Have Safe Cannabis without Standards and GMPs?” on May 31 at 1 pm ET and “2023 Update on Drug Testing & Workplace Safety” on June 2 at 1 pm ET.
The final resource the organization published is an interactive web tool. On this web page, users can learn about cannabis regulations in each U.S. state.
About the Author
Alex Saurman is a former Content Editor for Occupational Health & Safety,who has since joined OH&S’s client services team. She continues to work closely with OH&S’s editorial team and contributes to the magazine.