Cannabis: Quebec groups worried about impact in the workplace

MONTREAL – Quebec’s largest labour federation and a major business group say the provincial government needs to pay particular attention to the workplace consequences of cannabis use.

The Quebec Federation of Labour and the federation that represents Quebec’s chambers of commerce made the comments Thursday as public consultations continued on the repercussions of legalizing cannabis.

The head of the business group said in an interview that studies in jurisdictions where cannabis is legal have shown a drop in employee productivity, increased absenteeism as well as mental health problems.

Stephane Forget also fears a spike in the number of work-related accidents against the backdrop of imperfect screening tests.

Forget said certain tests will allow employers to determine that someone has used cannabis within a certain time frame but will not enable them to pinpoint the level of impairment.

The Quebec Federation of Labour, meanwhile, fears employers will adopt zero-tolerance policies which will encroach on workers’ private lives.