By Workplace Absenteeism Linked To Medical Cannabis Laws
New research from the University of Georgia indicates that changes to cannabis laws directly impact workplace absenteeism, specifically regarding medical marijuana usage. The study analyzed data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics from 1990 to 2025, covering a dataset of over 20 million workers aged 18 to 61. Researchers compared workplace absenteeism data in areas where employees called in sick due to illness, injury, pain fluctuations, or other medical concerns.
The findings show that states where medical cannabis use has been authorized see employees taking fewer days of sick leave by about 6.9%. While no direct links have been established between recreational cannabis legalization and health-related workplace absenteeism, the research highlights a decrease in health-related absenteeism in areas where medical marijuana is decriminalized. This suggests that improved healthcare access through medical cannabis can help individuals better manage conditions, particularly pain management, thereby reducing the need for sick leave applications.
Federal Rescheduling Drives Industry Consolidation
Christopher B. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche moved FDA-approved and state-licensed medical marijuana products from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act.
Lynch notes that the practical question for businesses is whether they are positioned to be a consolidator or an attractive acquisition target. NewLake Capital Partners CEO Anthony Coniglio stated, “Each year brings predictions of a major M&A wave in cannabis. And so far, each year has mostly delivered tuck-in deals rather than transformative consolidation.” Two months after the initial order, the Department of Justice opened an expedited administrative hearing to consider rescheduling marijuana in full, including adult-use.
That hearing has now concluded, and a recommendation could come at any time, while Trulieve restructured to separate its 206 DEA-registered medical dispensaries from its adult-use business.
Kentucky Medical Marijuana Market Faces Shortages
More than 18 months after Kentucky’s medical marijuana program launched on Jan. 1, 2025, supply still cannot keep up with patient demand. At an Aug.
21 ribbon-cutting ceremony for Holler Cannabis Co., Gov. Andy Beshear called the program a success while acknowledging it hadn’t moved as fast as he’d hoped. He stated, “Our goal was to do this in a safe, highly regulated way, where we convinced even the skeptics that this could be done correctly, and I believe that it has.” Currently, 39 medical cannabis businesses are open, with five more cultivators expected to open soon.
Over 24,000 Kentucky residents hold medical marijuana cards, and sales could reach $126 million in 2026 according to an MJBiz Factbook projection. The state’s first dispensary, The Post in Beaver Dam, opened Dec. 13 and sold out almost immediately.
A policy change earlier this year restricts cardholders from buying out of state, increasing pressure on the constrained supply chain. The 2024 license lottery drew criticism for a $5,000 application fee and a $30,000 nonrefundable license fee, leading State Auditor Allison Ball to launch an investigation into the process in April.
