Bimonthly News Update

The NJ Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance and Marketplace Modernization Act was signed into law by Governor Murphy on February 22, 2021, thereby legalizing recreational use of marijuana by adults 21 and over.

The Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey will continue to keep our members updated on this important issue. Our tool kit is currently undergoing revision to provide updated information on policies and procedures related to the law to assist you in maintaining a healthy, safe and drug-free workplace. Further revision will occur in the months ahead when the Cannabis Regulatory Commission sets forth its requirements for employers.

• More N.J. companies no longer test job seekers for weed. Amazon stopped it last week.

Last week, Amazon, the second largest private employer in the country, announced it would no longer test job applicants for marijuana. And some companies around New Jersey have already dropped some drug testing requirements, business and cannabis industry leaders say.

• N.J. medical marijuana patient fired for using cannabis in his free time, lawsuit claims

A medical marijuana patient is suing his former employer, claiming the company terminated his refinery job after he used prescribed cannabis while off the clock.  

• Marijuana workforce drug test positivity continues double-digit increases to keep overall drug positivity rates at historically high levels

The COVID-19 pandemic did not dampen workforce drug testing positivity for marijuana, which continued to increase last year in the general U.S. workforce, according to a new analysis released today by Quest Diagnostics, the world's leading provider of diagnostic information services. 

• Bill to Federally Legalize Marijuana, Expunge Criminal Records Reintroduced in Congress

A bill to decriminalize marijuana at the federal level and allow people with cannabis-related convictions to have their records expunged has been reintroduced in Congress.

• Why Amazon is backing away from drug testing employees for weed

Amazon will no longer screen most job applicants for marijuana use—including those applying for positions in customer fulfillment and delivery stations—as part of its drug-screening program, the giant retailer announced yesterday (June 1).

• Common Questions about Medical Cannabis

Medical cannabis is currently legal in 37 states and, with 94% of Americans in favor of legal access to medical marijuana, it seems as if this treatment option is returning to the mainstream

• Pa. Panel OKs Unemployment Claim after Medical Pot Firing

A Pennsylvania appeals court ruled in a published decision on Tuesday that a warehouse worker who was fired from his job after failing a drug-test could receive unemployment benefits, based on testimony that he told his employer about a medical marijuana prescription.

• Marijuana Card Holder Sues over Job Loss

A medical marijuana card holder is suing a northwest Arkansas hospital system for withdrawing a job offer after he tested positive for pot, and he says he’s not alone.

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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.