Regardless of your personal views on the subject, use of the drug is more prevalent than ever and we must address the issue when it arises during the life insurance application and underwriting process.
What Is Cannabis?
Cannabis is a natural psychoactive drug that comes from the flowers and leaves of the hemp/marijuana plant. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the primary ingredient in cannabis that causes euphoria and intoxication. Cannabis is most commonly smoked as a cigarette or in a pipe. It can also be taken orally, either by eating it directly or mixing it with food products.
Short-term memory, attention, motor skills reaction time, and skilled activities are impaired while the individual is intoxicated. Cannabis contains carcinogens, and evidence suggests that heavy use may be associated with oral cavity, pharynx, esophageal, and lung cancers. Because of those concerns, many carriers will assign smoker/tobacco use rates for any use.
Considerations
For underwriting consideration, the first thing we must determine is whether the use is recreational, or if the proposed insured has been issued a prescription for medical use. If for medicinal purposes, underwriting is going to be looking at the specific issue the marijuana is being used to treat.
Medical legalization is intended to provide beneficial treatment for those suffering debilitating symptoms. However, severity is subjective and open to interpretation. These uses may include severe pain, muscle spasms, severe arthritis, cancer or HIV-related symptoms, weight loss, nausea, glaucoma, and seizures from epilepsy. This highlights the need for full information considering not only potentially serious and uninsurable conditions, but also the high potential risk for misuse.
For recreational use, the underwriter is going to want to know the frequency of use. Classification of marijuana use can be any of the following:
- Experimental or intermittent use, for those who have tried but no longer use or are using up to a couple of times a month or less
- Moderate use, for those whose use is as frequent as 8-16 times monthly
- Heavy use, for those whose use frequency is more than 4 times weekly, or daily use.
There is evidence that many cannabis users do not abuse other drugs. However, multiple drug and alcohol use can be encountered with cannabis use; when combined, it is more toxic than each drug alone.
In next blogpost, we will discuss underwriting for Marijuana/Cannabis Use.