The Michigan Civil Service Commission has voted unanimously to adopt new rules ending the practice of pre-employment marijuana screening for most state workers. Under the new policy, those previously denied positions because of a failed marijuana test are also now eligible to immediately reapply for employment.
“Policies that mandate would-be hires to undergo urine screens for past cannabis exposure are invasive, discriminatory, and ineffective. They neither identify workers who may be under the influence, nor do they contribute to a safe work environment.”
This election may be the most critical one yet in our fight to end marijuana prohibition.
Voters in several states and in dozens of cities and towns will decide on marijuana-related ballot measures in November. Here is an update of where these efforts currently stand in Arkansas, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Oklahoma, as well as cities in Colorado, Michigan, Montana, Ohio, Rhode Island and Texas.
House Bill 4295 removes the ban on those with previous felony and misdemeanor marijuana convictions from participating in the legal medical marijuana industry.
“Thousands of citizens unduly carry the undue burden and stigmatization of a past conviction for behavior that is no longer considered to be a crime. Our sense of justice and our principles of fairness demand that officials move swiftly to right the past wrongs of cannabis prohibition and criminalization.”
HB 4982 explicitly permits those convicted of one or more misdemeanor marijuana offenses to file a petition with the court to have their criminal record set aside.
John Lennon obviously thought something good might result from his focusing national attention on this unjust prison sentence for a minor marijuana offense, but I suspect he was as pleasantly shocked as the rest of us when, shortly following the event, the Michigan Supreme Court took action to free John Sinclair.