Week 6 EOC: Pot in the Work Place

There are a lot of different stereotypes about people who smoke marijuana. When it comes to a working environment people that use marijuana are looked down upon and most times get denied for employment. For a person that partakes in using marijuana recreationally or medically and has all of the correct documentation to legally use the flower will still be denied employment because of a drug test, even if it is decriminalized in their state. "Twenty-three states and the District of Columbia have decriminalized medical marijuana. These laws vary greatly in their criteria and implementation. In addition, some states, including Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada and New York, require accommodations for registered medical marijuana users. In those states, an employer cannot take an adverse action against an employee simply because of his or her participation in a recognized medical marijuana program" (Marijuana in the Workplace: A Hazy Issue for Employers. SHRM. N.p., 18 Sept. 2015. Web. 14 Nov. 2016). From my perspective I think I break all stereotypes of marijuana users in the workplace because of the way I look and I can pass a drug test. As a user you have to understand that the workplace does not care about your habit because you still have a take and pass a drug test. I myself understand this which is why I can stop smoking for however long and cleanse my body so I can pass a drug test because I do want the job. Other people don't care as much and fight for their rights as a medical marijuana patient.  

"For instance, if an employee tests positive for marijuana, the employer should ask the worker to verify that he or she is a participant in a recognized medical marijuana program. Then the employer conducts a further evaluation of the employment situation"(Marijuana in the Workplace: A Hazy Issue for Employers. SHRM. N.p., 18 Sept. 2015. Web. 14 Nov. 2016). Of course I am not saying you should under the influence of marijuana at work or even use it if you operate heavy machinery, but employers should look at the functions of the job and make sure the employee has the correct documentation to use when they are off the clock.  "It goes without saying that working under the influence of marijuana—or any intoxicant for that matter—is to be discouraged. But marijuana is known to stay in one’s system after its psychoactive effects wear off. Therefore, whether employers are able to penalize employees for engaging in state-sanctioned marijuana use, despite no indication of impaired work performance, is a difficult question to answer.  As with most marijuana-related issues, this is a state-by-state determination" (High Stakes: Marijuana in the Workplace - California Lawyer. California Lawyer. N.p., 28 July 2016. Web. 14 Nov. 2016).