Legal Doesn’t Mean Ethical; More Research Is Needed To Make Medical Marijuana Mainstream In Workers’ Comp

As it stands today, only eight states remain where marijuana is fully illegal. All others have either active medical or recreational marijuana programs. In light of this shift in both attitudes and laws, many unanswered questions remain for the workers’ compensation community.

In particular, the industry must reckon with ethical questions, including the federal illegality of marijuana, the lack of quality research into its efficacy, and the claims management practices related to marijuana and reimbursing for it.

Referencing the American Nurses’ Association position statement, Therapeutic Use of Marijuana and Related Cannabinoids, One Call VP and national product leader for home health and complex care, Kevin Glennon, thinks it’s time to put bias aside.

Paramount to that would be the reclassification of marijuana so that it is no longer a Schedule I drug: “We still don’t know the true efficacy of marijuana. But with additional research, I truly believe that we will be able to see the efficacy versus standard prescription medications and drugs,” Glennon said.

“I have personally met adjusters all across the United States, some of whom are advocates for the use and others who are staunchly against the use. Part of that stems from personal bias, and I think we would see much less personal bias if we had additional research on efficacy.”