Is The "grass" Greener? Occupational Wellness In The Colorado Cannabis Industry

Abstract

IS THE "GRASS" GREENER? OCCUPATIONAL WELLNESS IN THE COLORADO CANNABIS INDUSTRYThis study is the first occupational safety and health evaluation of the cannabis industry of Colorado from an Occupational Health Psychology (OHP) perspective. Qualitative pilot data and common OHP theories provide a framework for project development, design, and rationale.This study investigated the following among cannabis industry workers: potential stressors, perceptions and awareness of physical safety hazards, strain outcomes, and organizational supports that might buffer relations between stressors and strain outcomes. Study results provide a first glimpse at the demographics of the cannabis industry and suggest that workers generally experience low strain and high levels of organizational supports in the presence of various physical and psychological stressors and hazards. However, results also suggest heterogeneous health and safety training, awareness, and regulation in the cannabis industry. Future research directions and practical implications for cannabis industry workers are provided.iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This thesis represents several years of work -work that I could never have accomplished without the help and guidance of many others. As such, I have a number of people that I would like to acknowledge and thank.