later. Seven of the nine still showed impaired performance at 24 hours. Only one was aware of actually being impaired.13 Does marijuana with higher THC levels impair users for a longer period of time? consume marijuana. A study using marijuana that contained 13 percent THC levels found and motor users’ executive functioning functioning were seriously impaired for many hours after smoking.14 What about extremely high levels of THC? The Netherlands defines marijuana A commercial industry has emerged as states have legalized with a THC level of 15 marijuana for medical use. That industry has figured out ways to percent or higher as a increase THC levels in cultivated marijuana and marijuana products, “hard” drug and may ban it from the Dutch such as THC-infused cookies and candies. Today, marijuana coffee shops where extracts, such as Butane Hash Oil, contain from 75 percent to 100 people consume percent THC. Whether such high levels of THC further extend the marijuana. In the US, length of time a person is impaired after using marijuana is an open Butane Hash Oil has question. If future research shows high that THC levels increase the THC levels of from 75 time a person is impaired, more problems will occur for employers if to 100 percent. courts ultimately decide they must accommodate marijuana use. Most research on Must employers cover medical marijuana costs for employees effects has been injured on the job? done using marijuana with In New Mexico, the answer is now By declining to hear an “yes.” low THC levels, appeal in October 2014, the New Mexico Supreme Court allowed a from two to four landmark case to stand. In Vialpando v. Ben’s Automotive Services, or five percent. employee Gregory Vialpando suffered an accident that severely (THC is the injured his back in 2000. Thirteen years later, he filed an application ingredient that with a compensation judge claiming that his former workers’ intoxicates and employer should pay the cost of the medical marijuana he uses for impairs users.) pain as part of his compensation benefits. workers’ But average THC levels in today’s The comp judge ruled that New medical marijuana workers’ Mexico’s marijuana range and necessary medical and program constituted “reasonable care” from 12 to 15 that must reimburse Mr. Vialpando for his Ben’s Automotive Services percent, a medical marijuana through its insurance company, Redwood Fire & strength that the Netherlands regards as a drug and “hard” may ban from the coffee shops where the country allows people to
later. Seven of the nine still showed impaired performance at 24 hours. Only one was aware of actually being impaired.13 Does marijuana with higher THC levels impair users for a longer period of time? The Netherlands defines marijuana with a THC level of 15 percent or higher as a “hard” drug and may ban it from the Dutch coffee shops where people consume marijuana. In the US, Butane Hash Oil has THC levels of from 75 to 100 percent. Most research on effects has been done using marijuana with low THC levels, from two to four or five percent. (THC is the ingredient that intoxicates and impairs users.) But average THC levels in today’s marijuana range from 12 to 15 percent, a strength that the Netherlands regards as a “hard” drug and may ban from the coffee shops where the country allows people to consume marijuana. A study using marijuana that contained 13 percent THC levels found users’ executive functioning and motor functioning were seriously impaired for many hours after smoking.14 What about extremely high levels of THC? A commercial industry has emerged as states have legalized marijuana for medical use. That industry has figured out ways to increase THC levels in cultivated marijuana and marijuana products, such as THC-infused cookies and candies. Today, marijuana extracts, such as Butane Hash Oil, contain from 75 percent to 100 percent THC. Whether such high levels of THC further extend the length of time a person is impaired after using marijuana is an open question. If future research shows high that THC levels increase the time a person is impaired, more problems will occur for employers if courts ultimately decide they must accommodate marijuana use. Must employers cover medical marijuana costs for employees injured on the job? In New Mexico, the answer is now “yes.” By declining to hear an appeal in October 2014, the New Mexico Supreme Court allowed a landmark case to stand. In Vialpando v. Ben’s Automotive Services, employee Gregory Vialpando suffered an accident that severely injured his back in 2000. Thirteen years later, he filed an application with a workers’ compensation judge claiming that his former employer should pay the cost of the medical marijuana he uses for pain as part of his workers’ compensation benefits. The workers’ comp judge ruled that New Mexico’s medical marijuana program constituted “reasonable and necessary medical care” and that Ben’s Automotive Services must reimburse Mr. Vialpando for his medical marijuana through its insurance company, Redwood Fire &
What_Will_Legal_Marijuana_Cost_Employers-Complete-1-2015.docx