Oregon considering ban on firing workers for testing positive for marijuana
While many states are legalizing marijuana, that doesn't mean people are free to consume it without any repercussions. People can still be fired for testing positive for cannabis in a drug test. But that may not be the case in Oregon any more, writes Joseph Misulonas.
Oregon politicians are working to pass a bill that would prevent companies from firing their workers if they test positive for marijuana. The proposal would also protect people who are looking for work and prevent companies from not hiring them based on cannabis use.
This isn't the first time that states have attempted to pass such a law. In fact, Oregon attempted to pass a similar bill in 2017 but it did not receive enough support to pass.
While marijuana may be legal in several states, almost none of them have any protections for workers who use legal marijuana, whether they do so recreationally or medically. This obviously is an issue for many cannabis users who can't enjoy a legal right simply because their employers have antiquated ideas about marijuana.
Earlier this year, Maine became the first state to protect workers from anti-marijuana rules when they removed cannabis from the list of substances employers can drug test workers for. While this policy hasn't been adopted by other states yet, if it's successful in Oregon, hopefully others will consider it as well.
