Medicinal Cannabis & the Workplace: Is Your Drug & Alcohol Policy Still Fit for Purpose?

With over 1.2 million Australians now prescribed medicinal cannabis, the workplace drug and alcohol landscape has shifted, and many organisations are struggling to keep up. A positive THC drug test can now stem from a legally prescribed medication, not illicit use. This raises critical questions: What do we do when an employee discloses a medicinal cannabis prescription? Can we still test for THC? How do we balance safety and legal obligations under WHS and anti-discrimination law? These are not theoretical scenarios—they play out in workplaces across Australia.

As safety and risk specialists, we work with organisations to review and modernise their drug and alcohol policies, ensuring they remain compliant, practical, and tailored to evolving workplace realities.

Outdated drug and alcohol policies often contain critical gaps. Many do not mention medicinal cannabis or provide unclear expectations around employee disclosure. Blanket zero-tolerance rules may conflict with anti-discrimination legislation, leaving employers exposed. Often, policies lack procedures for managing prescription medication in safety-sensitive roles or fail to define the role of Medical Review Officers (MROs) in interpreting test results. These oversights can lead to legal risk, operational confusion, and unfair treatment of workers.

A fit-for-purpose policy, by contrast, clearly addresses both THC and CBD usage, outlining what is permitted, when, and for whom. It provides practical disclosure protocols, defines how positive results will be managed, and clarifies when fitness for work becomes a concern. Effective policies also outline how to verify prescriptions while protecting worker privacy. Crucially, they train supervisors to handle disclosures and test outcomes and take a risk-based approach to roles where safety is critical.

What We Offer

We provide a Drug & Alcohol Policy Review Service, which includes:

• Expert review of your current policy

• Identification of legal and operational risks

• Integration of prescribed medicinal cannabis guidelines

• Alignment with WHS, HR, and anti-discrimination obligations

• Guidance on supervisor training, testing procedures, and implementation

This is a high-risk area that demands attention. It’s not about zero tolerance—it’s about smart, safe, and defensible policies.

If you’d like to ensure your Drug & Alcohol Policy is compliant and transparent, contact us for a confidential policy review.

For more information on WHS training or WHS compliance services, or if you would like help to make your WHS management system even more robust, please feel free to contact us by email at train@courtenell.com.au or phone us on 02 9552 2066