Whereas the fashionable marijuana shopper could also be shedding that lazy stoner stereotype, new analysis exhibits that staff who use and abuse the drug usually tend to miss work.
The findings have been revealed Monday within the American Journal of Preventive Drugs.
For the research, researchers on the College of California, San Diego College of Drugs and the New York College Grossman College of Drugs analyzed information from the 2021–22 Nationwide Survey on Drug Use and Well being on 46,500 adults employed full time within the U.S. Current and frequent hashish use, in addition to hashish use dysfunction (CUD), they discovered, was related to better office absenteeism.
Work absences included days missed resulting from sickness or damage along with skipped days when staff “just didn’t want to be there.” Respondents have been a majority or plurality white (62%), male (57%), ages 35 to 49 (35%), married (52%), had at the least a university diploma (42%), and had an annual family revenue exceeding $75,000 (55%). About 16% of staff had reported utilizing hashish throughout the final month, with about 7% of whom assembly CUD standards (gentle: 4%; reasonable: 2%; extreme: 1%).
Individuals who mentioned that they had by no means used hashish missed a mean 0.95 days of labor previously 30 days resulting from sickness/damage and skipped 0.28 days. Hashish customers, by comparability, recorded the next absences:
- Previous-month use: 1.47 sickness/damage, 0.63 skipped
- Delicate CUD: 1.74 sickness/damage, 0.62 skipped
- Reasonable CUD: 1.69 sickness/damage, 0.98 skipped
- Extreme CUD: 2.02 sickness/damage, 1.83 skipped
The outcomes additionally confirmed that individuals who used hashish extra continuously skipped probably the most work. For example, those that consumed it a few times monthly skipped 0.48 days, whereas those that consumed it 20 to 30 days monthly skipped 0.7 days. Individuals who used hashish three to 5 days monthly had the very best prevalence of missed days resulting from sickness/damage (1.68). Hashish use longer than a month in the past had no bearing on worker absence.
“These findings highlight the need for increased monitoring, screening measures, and targeted interventions related to cannabis use and use disorder among employed adults,” researchers wrote. “Moreover, these results emphasize the need for enhanced workplace prevention policies and programs aimed at addressing and managing problematic cannabis use.”
Researchers mentioned that whereas their newest work helps a lot of the present literature on hashish use and office absenteeism, it additionally contrasts with different research. One earlier research, for instance, confirmed a decline in sickness-related absences within the wake of medical marijuana laws, whereas one other discovered no hyperlink between the 2.
One limitation of the brand new research, the authors notice, is that it relied on individuals’ self-reported solutions. As well as, the information don’t mirror whether or not hashish was used for medicinal or leisure functions, whether or not it was consumed throughout work hours, or deal with different elements which will have affected an individual’s hashish use patterns.
What are the indicators of hashish use dysfunction?
That marijuana isn’t addictive is a fable. Individuals with CUD are unable to cease utilizing hashish even when it causes well being and social issues, in response to the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC). Hashish shoppers have about a ten% chance of growing CUD, a dysfunction impacting practically a 3rd of all customers, in response to earlier analysis estimates. At increased danger are individuals who begin utilizing hashish as adolescents and who use the drug extra continuously.
The CDC lists these behaviors as indicators of CUD:
- Persevering with to make use of hashish regardless of bodily or psychological issues
- Persevering with to make use of hashish regardless of social or relationship issues
- Craving hashish
- Giving up vital actions with family and friends in favor of utilizing hashish
- Needing to make use of extra hashish to get the identical excessive
- Spending quite a lot of time utilizing hashish
- Making an attempt however failing to give up utilizing hashish
- Utilizing hashish although it causes issues at dwelling, faculty, or work
- Utilizing hashish in high-risk conditions, equivalent to whereas driving a automotive
- Utilizing extra hashish than supposed
Along with interfering with on a regular basis life, CUD has been linked to unemployment, cognitive impairment, and decrease schooling attainment. Individuals with CUD usually have further psychological well being issues, together with different substance abuse problems. On this research, for instance, 14% of respondents reported having alcohol use dysfunction throughout the previous 12 months.
For those who or a liked one are battling hashish use, assist is obtainable 24/7. Go to FindTreatment.gov, textual content your ZIP code to HELP4U (435748), or name the SAMHSA Nationwide Helpline at 800-662-HELP (4357) or TTY: 800-487-4889.
For extra on hashish consumption and your well being:
