Bimonthly News Update

Drugs Don't Work in NJ will be hosting a FREE webinar Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at 11am - "Marijuana in the NJ Workplace". This webinar is open to any NJ business, so we strongly encourage you to share this information with business associates. If you have any questions, please contact Bill Lillis, Drug-Free Workplace Coordinator, at bill@drugfreenj.org or 862-253-6808.

• Concerns about People High at Work Delays Pot Legalization Vote

Monday was supposed to be a monumental day in Trenton – the passage of a bill legalizing recreational marijuana. Instead the voting sessions were canceled amid a group of policy disagreements, including how to handle workplace safety concerns

• Fast-changing cannabis landscape raises numerous questions for employers

The number of states permitting some form of cannabis use continues to expand, and so do the issues that employers must address

• NJBIA Expresses Concern about Workplace Safety, Employer Burdens in Updated Cannabis Bill Language

The New Jersey Business & Industry Association today said new language in legislation to create and regulate a legal marijuana marketplace will weaken protections for employers seeking to maintain a drug-free workplace, even in critical public safety industries.

• Fault lines emerge as New Jersey Democrats navigate cannabis legalization

A week after New Jerseyans voted to legalize cannabis, Gov. Phil Murphy and state lawmakers are at odds over legislation that would allow the state to become the only adult use market between Washington, D.C., and Massachusetts.

• State Sen. Singer: Marijuana taxes should benefit all of New Jersey

While the legislation to establish a legal market and regulatory scheme for marijuana was expected to be a slam dunk after the ballot measure was approved by a 2-to-1 margin, disagreements over a slew of concerns have caused the process to stall.

• What Does Legal Weed Mean for Employees at the Job?

There's a lot of questions left unanswered after the ballot question to legalize recreational use marijuana passed overwhelmingly in New Jersey.

• Rutgers faculty discusses importance of safety regarding marijuana legalization in NJ

With New Jersey’s recent passage of the Marijuana Legalization Amendment, safety must be prioritized for the legalization process to succeed, said Diane Calello, executive medical director of the New Jersey Poison Control Center at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School

• CAN I BE FIRED FOR FAILING A DRUG TEST BECAUSE OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA?

In New Jersey, an employee cannot be fired for failing a drug test because of medical marijuana. This decision comes from a recent court ruling on the ongoing debate over medical marijuana and consequences involved in using the substance.

• Proposed guidelines for hair drug testing

On September 10, 2020, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), HHS (Health and Human Services Department) proposed scientific and technical guidelines for the inclusion of hair specimens in its Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs.

• EEOC Sues Professional Transportation for Disability Discrimination

Professional Transportation, Inc. (PTI), a transportation company head­quartered in Evansville, Ind., with operations throughout the United States, violated federal law by refusing to hire a job applicant because of her opioid addiction disability, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit filed today

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We encourage you to share this bimonthly news update with your colleagues and business associates to stay informed on the issues regarding establishing and maintaining a drug-free workplace.