Stance On Marijuana In The Workplace
As a
culinarian in an ever-changing world, the newest debate to arise has been the
legalization of marijuana and its effects in the work place. My personal stance
on that is that legalization of fore mentioned drug should not make it
allowable in the work places. We have
strict policies that make it illegal to show up to work under the influence of
alcohol, so marijuana should not be the exception. If an individual uses
marijuana for medicinal purposes or recreational purposes, it should be done
off work premises. The work place’s highest concern is safety of the members
along with upholding the mission. Research has proven that using marijuana has
been linked to a decrease in safety.
Marijuana use has been linked to an increase
in job accidents and injuries, and the National Institute on Drug Abuse notes
that the short-term effects of marijuana include impaired body movement,
difficulty with thinking and problem-solving, memory problems, and an altered
sense of time. Occupational Health & Safety
By Terri
L. DoughertyFeb 01, 2016
Also, there is an
already existing concern within the work place. The concern is that there are
too many candidates that are looking for employment that cannot pass the
initial drug test. Allowing more open use of marijuana in the work place would
only make this a bigger problem. However, the biggest concern is that of a
lawsuit from the applicant.
“The other piece is that if they don’t hire
that person or the person is impaired at work, can the person come back and sue
them for discrimination for their marijuana use,” he said, citing the example
of a Colorado Dish Network employee, Brandon Coats, who was fired under the
company’s “zero-tolerance” policy for drug use when he tested positive for medical
marijuana.
journal-news Vivienne
Machi Staff Writer 6:00 a.m. Tuesday, March 24, 2015 Local Newshttp://www.journal-news.com/news/employers-legalizing-marijuana-affects-workplace-safety-hires/aOw3LOlXwkD2UN3V6RFIzL
Furthermore, I believe that the real
game changer will come into play when marijuana is federally legalized. This
would even the playing field by eliminating the gray areas. Until this change
comes to pass, as a business owner, I must have the highest safety guidelines
in place to protect myself and others alike.
