The Impact of Cannabis use liberalisation on the Workplace

Through ACT No. LXVI of 2021, Authority on the Responsible Use of Cannabis, approved by Parliament on the 14 December 2021, individuals are now entitled to carry, buy and grow certain amounts of cannabis. The Act followed a White Paper which was published on the 30 March 2021.

Following the White Paper’s publication, most of the employers’ and employees’ representatives heavily criticised the lack of consideration given to the impact of the proposed legal changes on the workplace and the employees. The same reaction followed the approval of the bill last December.

As part of the partial fulfilment of the requirements of the Master in Business Administration Angelito Sciberras submitted a dissertation titled, The Impact of Cannabis use liberalisation on the Workplace.

This research looked out for reliable sources suggesting current cannabis use in Malta in comparison to other countries and, based on the experiences of other countries, addresses the question on what the expected impacts at the workplace resulting from this liberalisation would be.

It also includes reference to studies on the long- and short-term effects of marijuana use with particular focus on those which directly or indirectly may have an impact on the place of work. It further addresses questions such as, whether the liberalisation will be expected to result in an increased use of the drug as well as the expected short- and long-term impact at the workplace.

The dissertation suggests mitigating measures which can be implemented by both the relevant authorities and employers to minimise the expected impact as much as possible.

During this 2-hour webinar, Dr Christine Calleja will give an overview of the salient points of this new legislation while Angelito will share the findings of his research as well as recommend possible actions that can be taken by employers to minimise the expected impact. Such measures may not be a one size fits all since the expected impacted differs among different organisations working in different industries.

The following and others will be addressed during the webinar;

• What does the law say?
• Can employers rely on the new legislation to mitigate the expected impacts?
• Does liberalisation bring increased consumption?
• Do different consumption methods such as, smoking, vaping, digesting, and frequency of consumption impact on the duration of the impairment?
• What are the expected impacts on workplaces in different sectors?
• What tests can be carried out, if any, to detect impairment?
• What policies can be put in place?
• What other actions to mitigate the impact can employers take?

Who should attend?

Employers, Managers, Human Resource Professionals, Supervisors, Employers’ and Employees’ representatives.