The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has taken a progressive step forward with respect to their policies regarding athletes’ personal cannabis use by relaxing their cannabis testing policies.
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“This legislation is consistent with the laws of a growing number of jurisdictions that recognize that off-hours cannabis use poses no legitimate threat to either workplace safety or productivity. Tens of millions of Americans consume cannabis responsibly while in the privacy of their own home and its serves no purpose to allow employers to unduly discriminate against them.”
New state and local laws amending marijuana policies will take effect on the first day of the new year.
Baltimore’s mayor, Brandon M. Scott, said: “[O]utdated and costly pre-employment drug and alcohol screenings only served to block qualified and passionate residents from obtaining employment with the City. … I am grateful that we are making this change now so that we can continue to improve local government operations and better serve the people of Baltimore.”
Employers will still be allowed to take action against an employee who is impaired on-the-job, but only if an employee “manifests specific articulable symptoms of impairment.”
Certain government positions would be excluded from the protections under this law.
In response to the public outrage regarding the suspension of American athlete Sha’Carri Richardson for testing positive for cannabis, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has announced that it will be reevaluating its policies.
NORML Issues Statement Regarding Amazon’s New Workplace Drug Testing Rules, Support for Legalization
“Several states, like Nevada and New York, have moved in this direction — as have numerous cities, like Atlanta and Philadelphia — and it is no surprise to see major employers moving in this same, common-sense direction.”
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney has signed municipal legislation into law prohibiting certain citywide employers from requiring prospective hires to pass a pre-employment drug screen. It takes effect on January 1, 2022.