Use of marijuana is a subject of discussion in the halls of Congress and in state legislatures around the country. Some states, including New Jersey, recently enacted laws to permit recreational use of marijuana. Delaware has had a policy related to medical use and is once again considering recreational uses.
The State Chamber position on this is direct and easy to understand:
We want to preserve the right for businesses to maintain their own, unique company policies related to marijuana, just as they do with alcohol or tobacco products.
This position is not unreasonable for productivity or workplace safety reasons. We have several members engaged as contractors where they must have and enforce zero tolerance policies. It is further complicated because no test for impairment currently exists. There is no breathalyzer equivalent or agreed upon medical standard, like .08 is for alcohol. Until a certifiable test is available and agreed upon results can withstand challenges, our members need legal immunity.
We are at a point where policy and politics may be outpacing technology, medicine, and science. Or are we?
The State Chamber is focused on the implications recreational uses may have in the workplace, not on addiction, homelessness, crime, or other social factors. Those other factors exist, but that is not our focus as others will weigh in on those topics. To better understand all of this, we are hosting a
webinar with people who have experience from a national or state perspective where study and real-world experience can be found.
Join us tomorrow for a free webinar and hear from
Kevin Sabet, former Obama, Bush and Clinton policy advisor and dubbed by NBC News as the “prodigy of drug politics,”
Gary Chandler from the Association of Washington Business where this has been policy for years, and Seattle employment lawyer,
Tim O'Connell.
