Study: Fewer Workers Comp Cases in States with Medical Cannabis

Workers in states where medical marijuana is legal are slightly less likely to file workers compensation claims, and claims filed in those states tend to be lower. This finding comes from a study conducted by researchers at the University of Cincinnati Ash Blue College and Temple University. As reported by Marijuana Moment, the researchers found that allowing medical marijuana can “allow workers to better manage symptoms associated with workplace injuries and illnesses and, in turn, reduce need for [workers’ compensation].”

In addition to (slightly) reducing the number and amount of workers comp claims, the study of 150,000 U.S. residents found that medical marijuana states see increased work capacity among older workers, reduced work absences, improved workplace safety, and reduced pain and suffering from workplace injuries.

According to the article, another study showed that deaths in the workplace were reduced by 34%, five years after a state’s legalization of medical cannabis. This suggests that lower fatal workplace occurrences could be another benefit of legalizing medical weed.