Bimonthly News Update

• MUST READ: Murphy open to banning off-duty N.J. cops from consuming weed

Gov. Phil Murphy said Monday he’s open to changing rules on legal recreational marijuana in New Jersey to effectively bar police officers in the state from getting high while they’re off duty.

• MUST READ: Off-duty police officers — like anyone over 21 — may consume weed, N.J. Attorney General says

Off-duty police officers are permitted to consume cannabis products and should not face discipline for doing so under the state’s legal marijuana law, according to a memo from acting New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin.

• Adult-use cannabis sales set to begin in New Jersey

The New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission will be issuing licenses to seven alternative treatment centers (ATCs) to begin adult-cannabis operations, including at 13 retail dispensaries, starting on Thursday, April 21. Individuals 21 years and older will be able to purchase cannabis and cannabis products without a medical card.

• N.J. recreational weed sales can begin soon as panel takes historic vote

The long-awaited opening of New Jersey’s recreational cannabis market just got the green light.

• Stockton panel sees wine-like future for cannabis tourism in New Jersey

If you legalize it, they will come, especially if they have somewhere to consume it. That seemed to be the message Tuesday at a virtual panel on cannabis tourism.

• Employers Grapple with Uptick in Cannabis Use and Worker Protections

Businesses that still maintain workplace drug-testing policies may be struggling to comply with complex state and local cannabis laws while also finding that more workers are testing positive for marijuana.

• Providers rethink pre-employment drug tests as marijuana use becomes legal in more states

With medical marijuana now legal in three-fourths of all states, some long-term care employers say that pre-employment testing is weeding out otherwise ideal job candidates.

• Don’t Fire Me! I’m Drug Free! It Was CBD! Indiana Court Examines Termination for Use of Hemp Oil

In our modern world of a booming CBD industry and an increasing number of states that have legalized marijuana, can you terminate an employee for a positive drug test for marijuana? What if the test shows marijuana metabolites but you find out later it was a positive for CBD oil (a legal substance)?

• Back to Basics: Opioid and Substance Use in the Workplace

Opioid and substance use is a prevalent issue that causes hazards to the individual using and their coworkers around them.

• Making your workplace drug-free and recovery friendly can help support people with addictions

The US is facing a public health crisis relating to substance misuse and addiction. According to the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics, 139.8 million Americans aged 12 and over drink alcohol, and 14.8 million of them have an alcohol use disorder, also known as alcohol abuse, alcohol addiction, or alcoholism.

• United Way holds drug use symposium

The United Way hosted a substance use symposium at the University of Maine at Presque Isle. The event saw many speakers talk about several substance use-related topics, such as opioids in the workplace, the benefits of Narcan distribution and personal experiences.

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