Canada’s Oil and Gas Industry Warns Against Legal Cannabis

The oil and gas industry in Canada is concerned about the government’s plans to fully legalize cannabis. They advise cannabis prohibition in safety-sensitive workspaces like oil rigs and other energy-related areas if cannabis is legalized.

According to the Calgary Herald, the oil and gas safety association, Enform, wrote a letter in late August to the Task Force on Marijuana Legalization, Regulation and Restriction expressing their concern. They warned that safety issues are already big for the oil and gas industry, and that the legalization of cannabis may make things worse.

“The legalization of marijuana will have an adverse impact on workplace safety and on an employer’s ability to ensure a safe work environment,” Enform CEO Cameron MacGillivray explained in the letter. “Enform respectfully submits that any legislation that is considered must address the obligations of employers to maintain a safe work environment and the workplace safety risks associated with marijuana use and abuse.”

Mark Salkeld, president and CEO of Petroleum Services Association of Canada, expanded in an interview with Calgary Herald that he fears the already-present safety issues in the industry that are being slowly addressed are only going to get worse.

“If (employees) can start carrying it around in their shirt pocket like a pack of cigarettes and fire it up on their way to work and it’s perfectly legal? That’s definitely a concern,” he explained. “Our members have a duty to ensure a safe workplace.”

“The companies will do as they’ve got to do, but if they don’t have some kind of support or backup or legislation or laws to fall back on, then they’re left to enforce this all on their own,” he added. “And that’s not fair.”

Enform is currently requesting permission to make a formal oral request to the Tax Force if their concerns are not addressed. While it is not unreasonable to request that workers do not use cannabis on jobs operating heavy equipment, it does not seem likely that workers would not do so if concerned about their own safety. If cannabis is legalized, legislators will have some work to do ensuring happiness on both sides of this issue.