The American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) will host a webinar on May 21st to review clinical guidance on the use of cannabis for pain management.

The discussion will examine current medical literature on cannabis for acute, chronic, and postoperative pain, with a focus on research quality.

The ACOEM guidelines have a strong influence on medical treatment protocols in many states, and as more states consider policies around cannabis for the management of pain, ACOEM recommendations may play a significant role in shaping care for injured workers.

ACOEM’s January guidelines do not recommend cannabis for any type of pain and advise against its use by workers in safety-sensitive roles. The guidelines note that while some trials show cannabis may be marginally more effective than a placebo for neuropathic pain, there is no meaningful evidence supporting its use for acute or postoperative pain.