The long-awaited interim regulations for the nascent industry came as a relief to employers, who said they had been left in the dark on how to keep their workplace free of drugs.
While a positive drug test for marijuana won’t by itself be grounds to fire or discipline a staffer, or to decline to hire someone, an employee could still be let go if they’re also shown to be under the influence during work hours.
“Striking a balance between workplace safety and work performance and adult employees’ right to privacy and to consume cannabis during their off hours is possible,” reads a statement from Jeff Brown, executive director of the state Cannabis Regulatory Commission, which oversees the state’s marijuana industry. “We have been doing that with alcohol without thought.”