Human Resources and Cannabis

I have a friend who hates her job and suffers lower back pain and anxiety.

Wait, that’s not fair. I have at least seven girlfriends who fit this composite character. They all take cannabis in some form to alleviate symptoms and improve their overall quality of life.

The transformation in my generation has been remarkable. These are white women who possibly voted for Trump — with families and serious HR jobs — who are now fluent in different cannabis strains and various delivery mechanisms like food, suppositories, oils, simple vaping devices, elaborate bongs like they’re back studying poetry at the University of Illinois in 1996.

None of them are cured, by the way. Some of them feel better, but a few have rebound anxiety. When I mention it, they jump down my throat and tell me it’s not rebound anxiety — it’s their awful jobs and lives.

I’ve asked, “Can it be both cannabis and the external environment causing your anxiety to get worse?”

No, it’s not the weed. Back off. Maybe I should do my research.

People will do anything to make themselves feel better, and I’m not here to judge how somebody addresses physical and emotional pain. I have my own problems with alcohol, and the CBD and cannabis craze doesn’t eliminate the drivers for me to drink. I know because I’ve tried. The only thing that makes me feel better is a lifestyle rooted in emotional rigor, honesty, drinking lots of water, eight hours of sleep and eating better.

I believe that we fix work by fixing ourselves. If CBD oil or sativa chocolates work for you and helps you to live your best life, that’s great. You’ll be a better employee. But I have to imagine every HR department out there is like me—making assumptions about cannabis, CBD, THC, sativa, indica, oil, tinctures, pills, gummies, suppositories, and patches without a bunch of first-hand knowledge.

I have some resources for you.

My friend, Don MacPherson, interviewed Giadha Aguirre de Carcer — CEO of New Frontier Data. They spoke about ‘Demystifying the Cannabis Industry,’

My good friend Kate Bischoff did a great DisruptHR talk called “To Pee Or Not To Pee: Drug Testing & Marijuana.”

To Pee Or Not To Pee: Drug Testing & Marijuana | Kate Bischoff | DisruptHR Talks

Eric B. Meyer wrote a thoughtful article called, “Your employee uses medical marijuana. Her drug test is positive. But, how do you know if she was high at work?”

Wherever you fall on the spectrum of this topic—curious observer, advocate, ally, casual user, patient, skeptic, abuser, opponent—it’s time to get educated. And if you work in HR, add this to another thing on your list.

Although I have a funny feeling that your local HR lady already knows more about this topic than the average employee. The last person to push gummies on me was a VP of HR at a conference, and she seemed to be living her best life away from the kids, in a hotel room without a husband and alleviating her lower back pain without going to the gym.

Sometimes HR ladies do it right!