Surge in medicinal cannabis use creates growing problem for WA’s mining industry
Mining companies in Western Australia are standing down workers who legally use prescription cannabis, as they struggle to determine what level of use makes an employee unfit for work.
Tom received a prescription for medicinal cannabis about a year ago after a devastating family tragedy.
“I was on sleeping tablets for a year … and they didn’t really agree with me,” he said.
“I could actually go to sleep [after taking medicinal cannabis].
“Because you’re pretty time poor up there … you need to have a shower, have dinner, and go to sleep as quick as you can.”
Last week, the WA parliament’s Select Committee on Cannabis and Hemp recommended reforms to the way medicinal cannabis was regulated.
But the mining industry urged caution.
In its submission, the Chamber of Minerals and Energy said the lack of consensus on impairment, led to the current strict approach.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-04-08/medicinal-cannabis-fifo-workers-prohibition-safety/102190122
