Mainstreet.com / Dr. Akikur Mohammad

One In Ten Small Businesses Found Employees Under The Influence

May 16, 2014

Companies can still prohibit employees from the use of medical marijuana since it has not been approved on a federal level, Moretzsohn said.

“It does not make it ok to have it in the workplace since it is being treated different than prescription drugs,” she said. “The law can really change and it depends on the state law. It is not shielded yet because of federal law.”

Drug use in the workplace is far more common than most people and employers believe, said Akikur Mohammad, a physician who is board-certified in psychiatry and addiction medicine and teaches addiction medicine at University of Southern California School of Medicine.

“Many employee health insurance programs now cover addiction treatment,” he said. “All the leading medical associations, including the AMA now recognize alcohol and drug addiction as a chronic disease, like diabetes or hypertension that must be treated with specific medications and then managed over a lifetime with lifestyle modification and counseling. With evidence-based treatment, addicts can live a quality life and be a valuable asset to businesses.”

Original Article

Dr. A R Mohammad