Cannabis use after work hours doesn’t affect job performance

The world of cannabis is opening up and embracing new norms and outlook. In a recent study, it was concluded that these green herbs do not effect work performance. Read more to find out.

In the world of cannabis, there has been learning and unlearning of opinions. Looking at the history when these green buds were appreciated and then to the contrasting beliefs today, we know that the complete potential of this nature's gift is yet to be identified. However, this has not stopped many people from adopting the stigmatized view and putting the benefits on hold because of the drug war issue.

In this article, we are addressing one such matter that has resurfaced again; the need for drug-testing in the workplace, whether pre-employment or otherwise.

With more awareness and information, we are seeing many companies banning workplace drug-test related to cannabis, but another survey reveals that 50% of employers would still fire workers for a first-time positive test for cannabis. This is an unreasonable accusation because no research backs the belief that using cannabis does indeed lead to a drop in job performance. In fact, we have seen artists, musicians, and all kinds of creative people being an ardent fan of consuming these green herbs that enhanced their ideas, creative energy, and so on.

So what is it about cannabis that hampers the person in the daily nine to five job, if it at all it does? Let's find out through this study.

The study was conducted by researchers with San Diego State University in California and Alabama’s Auburn University and was published in the journal Group & Organization Management. It aimed to bring forward the idea that there was no empirical research ever conducted on the usage of cannabis and the modern workplace. If we are looking at the bigger picture and aiming for the legalization of cannabis, this study plays an important role.

Are you ready to look at the findings of the research “The Altered States or Much to Do About Nothing? A Study of When Cannabis Is Used in Relation to the Impact It Has on Performance”.

The study examined before, during, and after work usage of cannabis, and judged the employees based on their work performance including performing core duties, willingness to help employees, and completing assigned tasks. 281 employees took part in this study, and the results stood against the general belief. It was found that using marijuana before or during work led to “counterproductive work behaviour" while after-work cannabis consumption did not have any effect (positive or negative) on any type of performance of the users as mentioned by their supervisors.

It is important to note that this is against the commonly held assumptions that cannabis harms job performance, irrespective of the time it is taken. But the study proved that it is not related to any of the workplace performance dimensions. This leads us to address the stigmatized view of cannabis and how unjustly it has been shunned into the drug war without having any research or conclusive thoughts. We definitely need a better and more in-depth methodological and theoretical development in the field of substance use.

Now that the study concluded that smoking or consuming weed after work does not affect job performance, let's look at the other end of the spectrum and see if it can actually boost the performance.

Can Cannabis Improve Job Performance?

We have already seen consuming cannabis after-work did not affect the work performance, but can it improve the performance? Dr Jeremy Bernerth, one of the authors of the study, pointed out that some cannabis can lead to better performance, however, there is no direct research or evidence to support the notion.

The improvement can come in an indirect form, where consuming cannabis and distracting oneself from the stressful work environment helps the employees to get in touch with their motivation. This will help them return to work with more stamina and energy to devote to the job. As we know some cannabis strain can be extremely relaxing, which can be helpful for many, allowing them to shed their stress before joining back.

These findings were helpful for many pro-cannabis believers who have had to justify their consumption, whereas the bad image of the substance was generally accepted without any evidence. In conversation with a Headshop in the UK, we came across the evident increase in the usage of bongs and vaporizers, leading to a generation who do not shy away from the use of cannabis. The study depicting job performance can be used to defend the public view, especially of scholars & organizations, that believe cannabis negatively impacts workplace behaviour.

This also makes us question the usefulness of workplace drug screening, which sometimes transgress into discriminatory practices. Dr Berneth pointed out that with the change in attitude and times, and legalization of Marijuana in many places, it is time to adapt to this new reality. There should be more research into the effectiveness of drug screenings and more strict regulation on the organization that uses these tests to present an unjust state of a person's performance.