Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2025 Dec 1;67(12):e860-e871.
doi: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000003548. Epub 2025 Sep 15.

Cannabis

Steven D Feinberg  1 , Gerald M Aronoff, James Ausfahl, Daniel Bruns, Beth D Darnall, Robert L Goldberg, Scott Haldeman, James E Lessenger, Steven Mandel, Tom G Mayer, Annu H Navani, Albert J Osbahr 3rd, Pamela A Warren, Thomas H Winters, Jeffrey S Harris, Kurt T Hegmann
Affiliations

Cannabis

Steven D Feinberg et al. J Occup Environ Med. .

Abstract

Objective: Cannabis use is expanding rapidly, and a guideline is needed to address workplace issues.

Methods: The ACOEM Guidelines methodology was used to develop an evidence-based guideline.

Results: There is some evidence suggesting potential efficacy of cannabis for treatment of spasticity associated with multiple sclerosis. There is no quality evidence of efficacy for treatment of common and typical work-related disorders such as back pain, chronic radiculopathy, neuropathic pain, and other acute or chronic pain disorders. Quality evidence supports lack of efficacy for postoperative pain. There are many adverse effects, including cancers, cardiovascular diseases, psychotic disorders, and safety risks. There is a rising concern that cannabis may cause schizophrenia.

Conclusions: Cannabis is not recommended for treatment of typical potentially work-related conditions. Cannabis use for any purpose is not recommended for those in safety-sensitive positions.

Keywords: cannabis; chronic pain; guidelines; workers in safety-sensitive positions.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: None declared.

References

    1. Marijuana as medicine. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), National Institutes of Health, US Department of Health and Human Services; 2018. Available at: https://nida.nih.gov/sites/default/files/df-marijuana-medicine.pdf . Accessed May 1, 2025.
    1. Marijuana concentrates. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), National Institutes of Health, US Department of Health and Human Services; 2020. Available at: https://nida.nih.gov/sites/default/files/df-marijuana-concentrates.pdf . Accessed May 1, 2025.
    1. Mullins MF. Cannabis dabbing: an emerging trend. Nursing 2021;51:46–50.
    1. Spice/K2, synthetic marijuana. US Drug Enforcement Administration. Available at: https://www.dea.gov/factsheets/spice-k2-synthetic-marijuana . Accessed May 1, 2025.
    1. Hegmann KT, Feinberg SD, Aronoff GM, et al. Chronic pain. American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) Practice Guidelines. 2024. Available at: www.mdguidelines.com . Accessed May 1, 2025.

MeSH terms

Substances

LinkOut - more resources