Substance use and work
With the legalization of recreational cannabis in Canada, questions have been raised about patterns of cannabis use at work, the use of cannabis to treat work-related injuries, and the implications of such uses for work productivity, workplace health and safety and work disability management. IWH research examines these questions, as well as questions about the use and effectiveness of narcotics or opioids to treat pain, including pain associated with work injuries, and patterns of opioid-related harms among workers.
Featured
Research Highlights
Rises in opioid harms highest in machining, construction, sales
A new study has found that opioid harm rates have increased among injured workers over the last two decades. The study also breaks the trends down by occupation.
Published: October 14, 2026
Research Highlights
Fatal drug overdoses more common among lower-income and unemployed Canadians
A new IWH study looked at how sociodemographic factors measured by the Canadian census were linked with drug overdose deaths.
Published: March 11, 2026
IWH in the media
Weed at work
The legalization of recreational marijuana in Canada came closer to reality on April 13, when the Justin Trudeau government introduced the Cannabis Act, or Bill C-45. While pot users across the country applaud the move, others have raised concerns about the effect that the proposed legislation would have on workplace safety, writes Jeff Cottrill in an article that quotes the Institute for Work & Health's Dr. Andrea Furlan.
Published: OHS Canada, August 2017
Journal article
Journal article
Early prescription opioid use for musculoskeletal disorders and work outcomes: a systematic review of the literature
Published: Clinical Journal of Pain, July 2017
Project
Project
Central nervous system agents and the risk of workplace injury and death: a systematic review
IWH is leading a systematic review to determine the level and quality of research evidence on the association between workers’ use of agents that act on the central nervous system (e.g. opioids, cannabis) and the risk of workplace injury, reinjury, near misses and death, including outcomes affecting co-workers and others in the immediate workplace.
Status: Completed 2019
Impact case study
WSIB narcotics strategy reducing harm and spending
IWH opioid and chronic pain expert, Dr. Andrea Furlan, helps shape new rules in her role on drug advisory committee.
Published: December 2014
Project
Project
Strategies to support the appropriate use of prescription opioids: a systematic review
IWH led a multi-partner team in a systematic review that sought to answer this question: What are the existing strategies, frameworks, collaborative networks and materials that promote the appropriate use of prescription opioids and/or to reduce the abuse of these drugs?
Status: Completed 2017
Impact case study
IWH expertise key to opioid guideline, tool development
Work on Canadian opioid guideline in turn leads to development of opioid management tool and helps launch IWH scientist's profile as opioid expert.
Published: July 2012
Project
Project
Understanding the use and impact of early opioid prescriptions for work-related low-back pain
Do opioids prescribed in the early weeks of a new workers’ compensation lost-time claim for low-back pain result in prolonged work disability? This was one of the questions asked by an IWH research team looking at the opioid prescription patterns with respect to low-back pain.
Status: Completed 2017