A recent study conducted by the University of Georgia has found that states that have legalized medical cannabis experience a significant reduction in workplace absences due to health-related reasons. The research analyzed data from over 20 million individuals and found that health-related absences decreased by approximately 7% in areas where medical marijuana was legal or decriminalized.
The study, which examined data from 1990 to 2025, discovered that the decrease in workplace absences was most pronounced in physically demanding jobs such as manual labor, construction, and agriculture. Additionally, significant drops in health-related absences were also observed among health service workers, including dental assistants and nursing aides.
In contrast, the study found that recreational cannabis laws did not have a significant impact on health-related absenteeism, regardless of whether recreational sales were legal or possession was decriminalized.
The study’s findings suggest that medical marijuana could potentially save employers hundreds of millions of dollars in economic costs due to reduced absenteeism. According to Patryk Babiarz, an associate professor at the UGA College of Family and Consumer Sciences, “Work absenteeism costs a lot for employers, with one estimate putting that total at $225 billion annually in lost productivity alone. Medical marijuana could actually save hundreds of millions of dollars in economic cost simply because people are not missing work.”
It is important to note that the study did not examine potential negative health or behavioral outcomes associated with marijuana use.
