According to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board’s official policy , medical cannabis is not a sufficient treatment for most medical conditions due to lack of consistent and strong evidence related to its efficacy. When medical cannabis isprescribed as part of a treatment regimen, the WSIB will monitor its use and effectiveness until no longer necessary, in order to protect contractor health and safety as well as the interests of the employee’s organization.
Since medical cannabis can have an impact on contractor health and safety, it is only permitted when the following conditions are met:
- The worker has a designated condition and their medical provider has authorized medical cannabis to help with this condition
- The worker has exhausted all other treatment solutions to help with their condition
- A clinical assessment of the worker has been performed and it is determined that the benefits of using cannabis outweigh the risks
- The dose and amount of medical cannabis is appropriate
- The worker has a valid document relating to the use of medical cannabis
If these conditions are met and the employee continues to use medical cannabis as a treatment modality, the WSIB will review its usefulness three months following the initial entitlement and at subsequent intervals of every six months. To preserve contractor health and safety, ongoing entitlement can only be secured in cases in which the contractor is clinically assessed and it is determined that the cannabis continues to be a sufficient, effective treatment option for the condition. The WSIB also reserves the right to discontinue entitlement to the use of medical cannabis if it impedes the worker’s recovery, the worker experiences undesirable side effects, or the worker does not make progress towards reaching their treatment goals.
Click to read the official policy of the WSIB, relating to the medical use of cannabis.
At ContractorCheck, our purpose is to help contractors meet regulatory requirements for maintaining contractor health and safety, including those established by the WSIB for medical cannabis use. If you would like additional information, please contact us today!