Marijuana Legalization Raises Worker Safety Concerns

[mahatmakanejeeves]

This is old, but I'm clearing out my inbox.

Marijuana Legalization Raises Worker Safety Concerns

Dec. 6, 2019, 5:43 AM

• Safety groups want zero tolerance for pot use by workers in sensitive jobs
• State laws legalizing cannabis set different testing thresholds

States’ efforts to legalize marijuana could be endangering workers, job safety advocates warn.

At issue is whether employers in states legalizing the recreational or medical use of marijuana can ban workers in “safety-sensitive” positions from off-hour use of marijuana or consumption of foods and drinks containing the plant’s psychoactive chemical, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

The safety-sensitive classification should include occupations where a mistake can threaten the life and health of others, safety experts say.

“The National Safety Council believes safety is being left out of the conversation, in general,” said Jane Terry, the council’s vice president of government affairs. The council in October issued a policy statement declaring “there is no level of cannabis use that is safe or acceptable for employees who work in safety-sensitive positions.”

{snip}

[Walleye]

1. I hope they are also advocating for masks and vaccinations in the workplace

[Farmer-Rick]

4. Alcohol is legal and society manages to function anyway

Just put the same restrictions on it we do Alcohol. This is not difficult. We already have a blueprint for how to manage legally available mind altering substances.

Geez, does legally available alcohol cause a safety problem? Yes, if you allow people to drink and work safety sensitive jobs. But even before we did breathalyzers, we did not let drunk people do dangerous jobs.

This is an easily managed issue.

[fwvinson]

5. I have known nobody

That has died, hurt someone, killed someone, damaged property or life, or hurt and killed family members/friends from Marijuana use. But, on the other hand, alcohol has done all this dangerous stuff, exactly as I have described.

[multigraincracker]

6. A nurse that had just smoked

some saved my life once. Can we make it mandatory now?

[Claire Oh Nette]

7. Fear, fear, fear right out or Reefer Madness

whether employers in states legalizing the recreational or medical use of marijuana can ban workers in “safety-sensitive” positions from off-hour use

Hard no.

What the employee does in his off hours, or, if you will, his personal life, isn't up to the bossman. Smoke a blunt tonight, and you're not still high at work.

Could too much weed kill you? Maybe if someone dropped a bale of it on your head....