Substance use and work

Marijuana legalization is not associated with an uptick in the percentage of employees consuming cannabis either during or prior to work, according to data provided in a briefing paper by the non-profit research organization Institute for Work & Health.

Published: NORML, January 2025

On October 17, 2018, the non-medical use of cannabis was legalized in Canada. To examine the implications of this change for workplaces, the Institute for Work & Health (IWH) embarked on two research projects. The studies explored changes in cannabis consumption habits among workers; changes in their perceptions about such consumption; associations between cannabis consumption and occupational injury risks; as well as the use of cannabis to treat symptoms in the aftermath of a work-related injury/illness. This Issue Briefing provides an overview of findings from these two studies and the potential implications of this research for employers and policy-makers.

Published: December 2024

A new study has found that workers who suffered from job-related injuries are more likely to experience opioid-related poisonings and other harms than the general population. The research, conducted by the Institute for Work & Health (IWH) and the Occupational Cancer Research Centre (OCRC), analyzed data from 1.7 million Ontario workers who filed lost-time compensation claims between 1983 and 2019, Jonalyn Cueto reports.

Published: Human Resources Director Canada, October 2024

Published: October 2024

Workers who have previously experienced a work-related injury are more likely to suffer opioid poisonings and other opioid-related harms than the general population, according to a new study by the Institute for Work & Health (IWH) and the Occupational Cancer Research Centre (OCRC). HR News Canada reports on findings announced in an IWH news release.

Published: HR News Canada , October 2024

People who have previously experienced a work-related injury are more likely to experience opioid poisonings and other opioid-related harms than the general population, according to new research from the Institute for Work & Health (IWH) and the Occupational Cancer Research Centre (OCRC). OHS Canada reports on an IWH news release.

Published: OHS Canada, October 2024

Formerly injured workers in certain occupations are at an elevated risk of experiencing opioid-related harms, according to a study by IWH and the Occupational Cancer Research Centre. Looking within a large sample of formerly injured Ontario workers, occupational groups with greater risks of harms included construction, forestry and logging, materials handling, and processing.

Published: October 2024

Published: Occupational and Environmental Medicine, October 2024

A recent academic article with an Ontario focus offers new insights into the links between workplace-related injuries and opioid harms, with certain occupations including construction found to be at particularly high risk, writes Don Wall

Published: Daily Commercial News, June 2024

Cannabis use for non-medical purposes became legal in Canada in October 2018. Many jurisdictions have followed suit in recent years. Although several studies have examined post-legalization outcomes in select groups and in the general population, data among the working population is lacking. Early results from an IWH study of Canadian workers suggested little change occurred in the year after legalization. In this presentation, Dr. Nancy Carnide shares findings from four waves of data, examining cannabis use patterns and perceptions from 2018 to 2021.

Published: May 2024