People thought legal weed would mess up the workday. Turns out, it doesn't.
It’s been almost one year since cannabis became legal in Canada. In light of the upcoming anniversary, a new study looked at the ways that cannabis has affected the workplace.
Findings from this study show that by and large legalization has had a much smaller impact on things than many Canadians previously thought.
The new findings come from a survey conducted by market research company Ipsos, in conjunction with workplace resource company ADP Canada.
Between August 30 and September 18, 2019, the survey questioned 1,160 Canadians 18 and older who are currently working. Specifically, the questions were about cannabis-related rules and practices in the workplace.
Here are some of the key findings from the survey:
All in all, these numbers paint a picture in which the huge majority of workers see legalization as having little to no impact on the workplace.
Interestingly, this reality runs counter to many of the beliefs people had prior to legalization.
For example, before legalization, 46 percent of Canadians thought that legal weed would decrease productivity at work.
Similarly, 43 percent of people before weed became legal thought that quality of work would decrease.
And more than half of Canadians—55 percent—thought that legal weed would have a negative impact on health and safety in the workplace.
“There was a lot of uncertainty and hype leading up to cannabis legalization last year,” Hendrik Steenkamp, Director, HR Advisory at ADP Canada said in a press release. “But so far, cannabis has not had a noticeable impact on the workplace or on workplace performance.”
He added: “Although only a fraction of Canadian workplaces allow cannabis during the workday, it’s important for every organization to develop proper workplace guidelines and policies, as well as provide training to identify and manage impairment.”
Interestingly, Canada is in line for another potentially big legislative change. On October 17, edibles, extracts, and topicals will become legal across the country.
The survey also asked people how they feel about these upcoming changes.
At this point, 55 percent of Canadian workers don’t think the new laws will have any impact on whether or not their employers allow cannabis use during the workday.
Founder of Cultivating Spirits, Philip Wolf, explains the concept behind his decade-long cannabis dinner series.
Some reflections on creating a weed brand in an oversaturated market hanging on by a…
The bill would enable a task force to study the effectiveness of psychedelic therapies and…
In the latest move in Thailand’s profound reversal of cannabis decriminalization and reform, the country’s…
Maximize Market Research forecasts significant growth in the hemp-based food sector thanks to consumer focus…