Legalising medical cannabis is associated with a 6.9% reduction in health-related workplace absenteeism, according to a new study published in the Journal of Workplace Behavioral Health.
The research, which examined the impact of cannabis laws across the United States, found that workers in physically demanding roles saw the most significant improvements. Manual labourers missed work 39% less, whilst industrial machine operators saw a 33% reduction in sick days. Health service workers and farm workers experienced reductions of 32% and 18%, respectively.
“The absenteeism-reducing effects of medical cannabis decriminalization were notable in occupations (e.g., manual laborers, machine operators) and industries (e.g., manufacturing, agriculture, construction) where conditions more predisposed to cannabis treatment (e.g., chronic pain associated with physical work) are prevalent,” the study said.
These findings suggest that medical cannabis laws are functioning as a public health intervention, helping workers manage chronic conditions that would otherwise keep them off work. The data show that employees in roles, occupations and industries in which chronic pain, physical strain, and job-related stress are prevalent are using medical cannabis to treat issues that commonly lead to workplace absences.
However, the study found no statistically significant effect from recreational cannabis legalisation on workplace absenteeism rates. Whilst the estimated effect of recreational decriminalisation was positive, it was not measured with sufficient precision to achieve statistical significance. This suggests that the therapeutic application of medical cannabis, rather than recreational use, drives the reduction in sick days.
“Medical cannabis laws appear to reduce sickness absence in settings where therapeutic use is likely to be most relevant, whereas recreational cannabis laws may generate a more mixed pattern of effects that depends on whether one focuses on health-related absences, overall absenteeism, workplace injuries, or broader labor supply and work-capacity outcomes.”
Research published in 2025 showed that expanding NHS access to medical cannabis could help thousands of people in the UK with long-term health conditions return to work.
The analysis, carried out by the Centre for Economics and Business Research and commissioned by Curaleaf Clinic, also showed that adopting cannabis as a treatment by the NHS could add £4.5bn to the UK economy over five years and £13.3bn over a decade.
“As a doctor, I see daily how chronic illness doesn’t just affect someone’s health – it removes them from the workforce, creates economic hardship, and leads to a cascade of social and psychological problems that can worsen the cycle of ill health,” said Dr Simon Erridge, Director of Research at Curaleaf Clinic, adding that the analyis showed that ”medical cannabis isn’t just a health issue – it’s an economic one too.”
