Should Workers’ Comp Pay for It?

A pair of work-related back injuries left a worker in pain and unable to work. In 2002, he was prescribed medical marijuana. But workers’ comp refused to pay for it. The Saskatchewan Appeals board upheld the denial. Its reasoning: Medical marijuana is controversial and the WCB doesn’t believe there’s enough scientific evidence to support its use. But the court scolded the board, saying it had no business to disregard the prescribing doctor’s opinion and rely on the scientific opinions of its medical department without doing an independent determination [Heilman v. Saskatchewan (Workers’ Comp Board), [2012] S.J. No. 566, Sept. 4, 2012].