Page 9 - GBC spring 2018 eng

Since 2015, when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau included in his election platform a commitment to legalize the recreational use of marijuana, there has been much written and discussed as to the impact this will have on Canadian businesses. Certainly, every business needs to consider the implications of the Canadian government legalizing a substance that can cause impairment.
Will management have to routinely deal with staff showing up for work under the in uence? For the golf business, the implications are much broader. What should owners and operators do about golfers using marijuana while enjoying a round? What are the management, operational and liability issues that need to be considered?
EMPLOYERS AND MEDICAL MARIJUANA
Long before the legalization of recreational marijuana use was seriously contemplated, marijuana use was permissible in the workplace – under speci c conditions.
The use of marijuana for medical reasons has been legal in Canada since 2001. Until 2014, a license from Health Canada was required in order for someone to use the substance, but since that year, health care practitioners have been able to write prescriptions for medical use.
When The
Smoke Clears
The Impact of Marijuana on Your Golf Operation
The most recent statistics suggest that there are approximately 200,000 users of medical marijuana in Canada, and by 2024, use is predicted to grow to 500,000. Medical marijuana can treat the effects of cancer treatment and HIV/AIDS. It can also materially improve the lives of people with chronic conditions such as severe arthritis, epilepsy and MS, and can treat pain and aid in sleeping.
Its effects can be the difference between being able to lead a relatively normal life, and being disabled and unable to work. But what are the obligations faced by an employer who is advised by an employee that he or she has a prescription to use medical marijuana?
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