420 with CNW — Why Employers Are Ditching Pre-Employment Cannabis Testing
The changing legal framework surrounding marijuana makes it more difficult for companies to screen for marijuana-consuming applicants. According to an article by the Washington Post, the rapidly evolving state legislation concerning marijuana, combined with a shortage of eligible workers, has led to an increasing number of employers no longer requiring applicants to undergo a marijuana drug test as a condition for employment.
Amber Clayton, the senior director of knowledge center operations at the Society for Human Resource Management, explained that employers are grappling with the challenge of navigating these laws while ensuring the safety of their workforce. “We need to find a way to balance compliance with these laws while still maintaining a safe and productive work environment,” Clayton said.
Denise Polliciella, the founder and an attorney at Cannabis Attorneys of Michigan, voiced concerns over the exclusion of marijuana users from employment opportunities. She argued that many capable individuals are being sidelined unnecessarily, because marijuana use does not impede their job performance in any way.
Some employers, as reported by online work news platform Business, believe that eliminating mandatory marijuana drug tests could compromise workplace safety. This is due to the potential side effects of marijuana, such as hallucinations, disorientation, dizziness, fatigue and drowsiness.
Business noted that certain industries and professions, including school bus drivers, airline pilots and federal contractors, are heavily regulated, requiring drug testing for job candidates and employees. Marijuana is among the substances prohibited in these cases.
Michigan recently discontinued marijuana testing for most state jobs, with exceptions for law enforcement officers, healthcare providers and employees operating heavy machinery, according to CBS News.
According to the Pew Research Center, approximately 30% of U.S. adults support the legalization of marijuana for medical use, while 59% support its use for both medical and recreational purposes. Business highlighted the growing number of states, including the District of Columbia, three territories, and 37 states, that have legalized marijuana either for medical, recreational, or both purposes. This indicates a response to public demand.
Karger’s “Medical Cannabis and Cannabinoids” journal revealed that there are approximately 3.6 million legally registered medical cannabis patients alone. The Post mentioned that certain states have implemented laws to protect workers’ marijuana use during their personal time, leading some employers to consider excluding THC, the primary psychoactive component in cannabis, from their drug testing protocols, according to the National Library of Medicine.
As workplace rules evolve to accommodate workers who use marijuana, the demand for cannabis products is likely to grow as more employees feel comfortable using this substance for recreational or medicinal reasons. When this happens, the industry will grow faster, and entities such as Advanced Container Technologies Inc. (OTC: ACTX), which focus on addressing the needs of cultivators could see an uptick in their sales.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Advanced Container Technologies Inc. (OTC: ACTX) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://cnw.fm/ACTX
Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the CannabisNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by CNW420, wherever published or re-published: http://CNW.fm/Disclaimer
The changing legal framework surrounding marijuana makes it more difficult for companies to screen for marijuana-consuming applicants. According to an article by the Washington Post, the rapidly evolving state legislation concerning marijuana, combined with a shortage of eligible workers, has led to an increasing number of employers no longer requiring applicants to undergo a marijuana drug test as a condition for employment.
Amber Clayton, the senior director of knowledge center operations at the Society for Human Resource Management, explained that employers are grappling with the challenge of navigating these laws while ensuring the safety of their workforce. “We need to find a way to balance compliance with these laws while still maintaining a safe and productive work environment,” Clayton said.
Denise Polliciella, the founder and an attorney at Cannabis Attorneys of Michigan, voiced concerns over the exclusion of marijuana users from employment opportunities. She argued that many capable individuals are being sidelined unnecessarily, because marijuana use does not impede their job performance in any way.
Some employers, as reported by online work news platform Business, believe that eliminating mandatory marijuana drug tests could compromise workplace safety. This is due to the potential side effects of marijuana, such as hallucinations, disorientation, dizziness, fatigue and drowsiness.
Business noted that certain industries and professions, including school bus drivers, airline pilots and federal contractors, are heavily regulated, requiring drug testing for job candidates and employees. Marijuana is among the substances prohibited in these cases.
Michigan recently discontinued marijuana testing for most state jobs, with exceptions for law enforcement officers, healthcare providers and employees operating heavy machinery, according to CBS News.
According to the Pew Research Center, approximately 30% of U.S. adults support the legalization of marijuana for medical use, while 59% support its use for both medical and recreational purposes. Business highlighted the growing number of states, including the District of Columbia, three territories, and 37 states, that have legalized marijuana either for medical, recreational, or both purposes. This indicates a response to public demand.
Karger’s “Medical Cannabis and Cannabinoids” journal revealed that there are approximately 3.6 million legally registered medical cannabis patients alone. The Post mentioned that certain states have implemented laws to protect workers’ marijuana use during their personal time, leading some employers to consider excluding THC, the primary psychoactive component in cannabis, from their drug testing protocols, according to the National Library of Medicine.
As workplace rules evolve to accommodate workers who use marijuana, the demand for cannabis products is likely to grow as more employees feel comfortable using this substance for recreational or medicinal reasons. When this happens, the industry will grow faster, and entities such as Advanced Container Technologies Inc. (OTC: ACTX), which focus on addressing the needs of cultivators could see an uptick in their sales.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Advanced Container Technologies Inc. (OTC: ACTX) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://cnw.fm/ACTX
Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the CannabisNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by CNW420, wherever published or re-published: http://CNW.fm/Disclaimer
