Bimonthly News Update

MUST READ: Another Jersey City police officer who was fired for cannabis use is ordered reinstated

In a decision released last week, the state Civil Service Commission ordered that Police Officer Omar Polanco, who was fired on March 1 for off-duty cannabis use, be reinstated onto the force immediately, affirming a ruling by the Office of Administrative Law in his case.

• Weed users need to know the one NJ law that protects your job

It took so long to negotiate all of the legal tentacles associated with legalizing the use of a substance that is federally prohibited. So by the time we started seeing dispensaries pop up, people were still unsure about what was allowed by the state.

• National Safety Council Launches New Program to Combat Soaring Workplace Overdose Deaths

Deaths on the job from drug overdoses have increased 536% since 2011. To combat this alarming rise from the workplace to anyplace, the National Safety Council is launching a new workplace safety program, Respond Ready Workplace, designed to increase awareness of the need for naloxone in workplaces and ensure people are trained to use it.

• Water Cooler Talk: Office Drug Abuse Insights From 'Industry'

The Max TV series "Industry" exaggerates —and occasionally glamorizes —illicit drug use in the workplace. However, in real life, employee substance use and addiction can raise significant issues.

• Republicans Soften on Federal Reform in a Shift that Could Make it a Reality

Cannabis reform is moving one step closer to reality at the federal level, with a committee hearing on a bipartisan bill to expand banking services for legal marijuana businesses expected at the end of the month, according to multiple people directly involved in the process.

• Marijuana regulation of NY employees needs clarity, report says

New York was the first state to pass a law banning employers from testing workers for cannabis without signs of impairment as part of the legalization of recreational marijuana. More than two years later, the labor law lacks clarity for both employers and employees, a new report from Cornell University said.

Click the button below to receive your complimentary updates and become a Drugs Don't Work in NJ member

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.

UPCOMING LEARING SERIES WEBINARS: