Bimonthly News Update

Drugs Don't Work in NJ will be hosting a FREE webinar Wednesday, June 22, at 1pm - "How to Address Marijuana in the Workplace: The Challenges of Measuring Impairment". This webinar is open to all NJ residents, so we strongly encourage you to share this information with your employees, family and friends and business associates. If you have any questions, please contact Bill Lillis, Drug-Free Workplace Coordinator, at bill@drugfreenj.org or 862-253-6808.

• MUST READ: N.J. legal weed in full swing, but still no rules for detecting if workers are high on the job

Six weeks after New Jersey launched a highly profitable recreational marijuana program and 15 months after the law allowing it took effect, the state agency charged with regulating the new industry still has not come up with basic standards for detecting weed in the workplace.

• Legal Weed Law Gives Employers a Useless Remedy

Adult recreational cannabis is now legal in New Jersey and with it begins a new challenge for employers seeking to maintain a drug-free working environment.

• N.J. lawmakers seek to curb cannabis use

As New Jersey nears the end of its first month of legal recreational marijuana sales, lawmakers have introduced a series of bills aimed at restricting what types of workers can use cannabis off the job.

• N.J. legal weed panel grilled by lawmakers in 5-hour hearing

Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee raised several concerns about New Jersey legal weed during a hearing that lasted five hours at the Statehouse in Trenton…The New Jersey Business and Industry Association raised concerns over what it said was a lack of clarity over cannabis testing and rules on firing in the workplace.

• N.J. legal weed will soon be sold at 6 more stores

Six new legal weed stores will open soon in New Jersey, adding to the dozen sites that launched the state’s emerging multi-billion industry last month.

• Rhode Island Legalizes Recreational Marijuana and Protects Off-Duty Use

Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee signed a bill legalizing recreational marijuana in the state on May 25, 2022…. if an employee works in a job, occupation or profession that is “hazardous, dangerous or essential to public welfare and safety,” an employer may adopt and implement policies that prohibit the use or consumption of cannabis within the 24-hour period prior to a scheduled work shift or assignment.

• Coping with Pandemic-Induced Substance Use

US alcohol sales have increased more than 14% since the beginning of the pandemic – and continue to rise, according to Bloomberg News, while cannabis sales have also increased due to widespread legalization.

• NSC Encourages New Policies Following New Data on Overdose Death

The National Safety Council (NSC) is encouraging employers to provide workers with mental health and substance use recovery support in light of new data from the CDC.

• Yes, CBD Registers On A Drug Screen As THC And, Yes, You Can Be Terminated For It

There is a lot to unpack in the Lehenky v. Toshiba America Energy Systems Corporation, Case No. 20-4573 (E.D. PA, February 22, 2022) case as it answers two very interesting questions.

• Basic Elements of a Drug-Free Workplace Policy

According to the CDC, 70 percent of people who have a substance use disorder are employed. When considering what to put in a drug-free workplace policy, there are a few basic elements.

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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.

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