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There's only 4 states that have legalized MJ. California being one of them, it would make sense that California employers don't test for it. They would only be concerned if you were under the influence.
From what I understand, there is no way to objectively test if a person is under the influence of pot like say, a blood test. It's going to be in your system (if you're a user) whether you're under the influence or not, so I can understand how a temp agency would say "we won't hire MJ users". It can be a hassle and a money loser for them.
But at the same time, some companies aren't going to care. California is an "at will" state, and if an employer SUSPECTS someone is under the influence, they can fire that person with no consequence.
I find this an interesting subject. My view is the USA will need several decades to unwind popular sentiment around it, as we have for other controversial social issues that are now more mainstream. There will remain pockets of disagreement, but the tide will likely turn. Until then, prudence indicates keeping it on the downlow or rather out of everyone else's face.
I myself do not partake, not as a prude but because any mood-altering substances don't appeal. I quite drinking in 1994, probably why any substance today makes me leery of returning to the bad old days.
That said, I more often than not run into Upper Middle Class pals who do partake. Professionals, in high levels (not executive) of name-brand firms here in greater Seattle. My best pal just took a job with a household name firm, two clicks from executive, and he partakes with his GF who is a cancer survivor. I don't ask much on the details, or care, though I went with them to a store in a nearby town some months back when they picked up (whatever it was). Here in WA such stores exist. Another story, but they are cash-only and one was recently robbed when bandits came in strong during the day and got out with roughly $3K in cash and goods. Hazards of cash-only!
Point is few, if any, write or speak of it outside trusted circles. It's a bit taboo, even if legal, much like discussing other private matters. Not much good comes of it, people being gossipy critters and some companies wrestling with policies that may, or may not, need to be challenged in court: how can something be legal at a state level, yet if used and stays in your system be grounds for dismissal, etc. The courts are figuring that out, it's case law. Not sure if now that various states have legal usage, "all" states must follow: yet another problem.
I've also had a few pals earlier in life who were what I'll call chronics. One guy had what I'd call, as a layman, "serious emotional problems" that were either caused by, or self-medicated with, chronic use. Strong stuff, too, as I found out after trying some back in the early 2000s during a brief foray into all that. I figured out later that self-medicating with an unregulated substance is probably dodgy, but that's yet another story. Who is to stop those with genuine serious anxiety problems from calming themselves through chronic use?
It may also appeal to those who are natural slackers. I think slackers are drawn to it, and sometimes become chronics. As many on this thread attest, such people don't impress and tend to draw scorn from doers.
I got my job through a temp agency. Like many they don't accept THC users. But when I look on their FB page, I see several people asking "What is your attitude towards THC users?" I can tell you it's "NO WAY YOU'LL WORK FOR US" It's better to assume that this is the attitude of EVERY agency.
Quit asking because they'll then have your name tagged as "Suspicious" and even if you do pass their test, they may tell the client to retest at various times and thus getting you fired.
I worked for Walmart. They tested at first then never again, unless you got hurt in an accident. I knew several who quit for 45 days then after they passed the UA, went back to using it. One even told me that if he was ever to be tested after an accident, he'd just quit instead of getting fired.
But really, asking their policy is similar to waving a red flag at them.....Just believe they WILL test and so you won't "Expose" yourself and your private usage of marijuana.
I highly doubt they are keeping lists of every person that inquires about marijuana on a Facebook page.
There's only 4 states that have legalized MJ. California being one of them, it would make sense that California employers don't test for it. They would only be concerned if you were under the influence.
From what I understand, there is no way to objectively test if a person is under the influence of pot like say, a blood test. It's going to be in your system (if you're a user) whether you're under the influence or not, so I can understand how a temp agency would say "we won't hire MJ users". It can be a hassle and a money loser for them.
But at the same time, some companies aren't going to care. California is an "at will" state, and if an employer SUSPECTS someone is under the influence, they can fire that person with no consequence.
Just FYI, recreational marijuana is legal in 9 states plus Washington D.C.: Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont and Washington state.
as the granddaughter of, daughter of, wife of and mother of addicted people i have a lifelong visceral experience with this issue.
look, anything in moderation will never impair you...... but too often these things, over a span of years, will start to have an affect..... and a serious impact on a person's life...... and if there is a history, like mine which thankfully did not materialize for me, but did in my kids, a casual use that most likely started in teenage years will, by age 30, very often veer into addiction.
and the big big big elephant in the room becomes DENIAL. ALL addictions start out casual, but there is a tipping point and employers are right to be wary. Their ability to offer an affordable health care plan for all their employees could be subject to an outright cancellation of a policiy but usually the premium will go up drastically, affecting EVERYONE in the workplace.
i am currently living next door to a "casual marijuana user"........ nice guy, really, i LIKE "Joe", he's a sweetie, but over the past ten years, his casual use has escalated to the merrygoround of denial and more and more dependence ...... he has only been able to hold onto a job for about 3 months at most, with long periods of unemployment which his poor elderly father has to deal with and he pays all bills and rent for "Joe"...... a nice moderate, casual use has morphed into daily use and being unable to hold onto any job, a huge denial problem, and even wild outbursts of violence, mostly directed at the various "girlfriends" he will use as they will wind up paying his way until they get beat once too often.
they don't call it merry-go-round named denial for nothing..... it's highs, lows, highs, lows, highs, lows and any employer has to consider all their employees when it comes to any drug use.
i too will not condemn anyone's use of marijuana, what i do object to is if a person cannot see that their drug use has started to affect them either emotionally, physically or socially- which includes their ability to work, handle problems at work.... and WORST OF ALL, starts with fights at home with the wife, not showing up for an entire weekend or inability to have a meaningful relationship with their kids, and then it is up all of us to not let it slide. I am not a busy body, I have had to let my own children fall down into pits of despair and hit rock bottom more than once..... but i have been able to educate them up and i have learned not to feed into it with excuses, lies to friends and family and when they could no longer blame all of us for their "problems" they all finally sought treatment...and i do attend Alanon so that their drugging will not affect me and lead me into controlling behavior.
let's all of us become better educated in just what does that word casual mean!!!!!!! if casual started out once in a blue moon, but over time escalated to affecting friendships, obligations to home and work, wife and children, then it is no longer casual.
Last edited by ceiligrrl; 05-30-2018 at 12:23 PM..
Thanks for sharing. But in case you aren't aware, there IS a difference between someone who uses cannabis and a POTHEAD. Plenty of folks use it in moderation, myself included, and you wouldn't even be able to pick us out of a crowd... we have jobs, homes, families, and everything else (sometimes more than) your typical non-user has. Same goes for alcohol, as you really can't compare a "beer or two after work" drinker to an alcoholic. Right?
There's only 4 states that have legalized MJ. California being one of them, it would make sense that California employers don't test for it. They would only be concerned if you were under the influence.
Someone already corrected you, but there are 9 states that have legalized for recreational use (and IIRC 25+ that have medical programs). Regardless, I've been in the work force since LONG before it was legalized recreationally, considering that just happened within the last year... but California in general has always been "lax" about this issue, and most employers don't care as long as you keep it on personal time.
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From what I understand, there is no way to objectively test if a person is under the influence of pot like say, a blood test. It's going to be in your system (if you're a user) whether you're under the influence or not, so I can understand how a temp agency would say "we won't hire MJ users". It can be a hassle and a money loser for them.
They are developing some form of "cannabis breathalyzer," but so far it's still in the testing phases. Law enforcement officers are trained to spot the signs, and some really can't be faked - like the pupils wiggling (?) when exposed to bright lights. And I imagine most employers could also tell, just as you could if somebody showed up drunk or strung out on crack/meth/etc. Maybe a few would slip through the cracks, but usually if you're high enough to where it matters, you're high enough to look/act it too.
In my opinion it should be determined (whether or not to screen for THC) based on the nature of the job, and not just arbitrarily because "we don't want to hire users." For example, if your job involves driving, flying, operating heavy machinery, directly saving lives, etc, then I can see where it makes sense. But for an office, retail, or food service job? Why?? I never smoke before work, but if I did, I'm sure I could still manage my job duties without much trouble... and I can't think of anything that would make me a liability, unless maybe I dropped a heavy reference book on my foot? I'm a klutz even when 100% sober, though, so it would be hard to tell the difference. LOL
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But at the same time, some companies aren't going to care. California is an "at will" state, and if an employer SUSPECTS someone is under the influence, they can fire that person with no consequence.
Doesn't apply to me, since I'm a union/public worker - but yeah, in the private sector they can fire you for anything (not involving protected classes). However, if I were a business owner, I'd consider all pros/cons of the situation first. For example, is their use affecting their job, and if so how? Are they otherwise valuable enough to reconsider, and maybe give them a chance to shape up? It costs time and money to rehire and train somebody new, so blindly firing based on this isn't always the best decision.
good lordy! A side effect of this drug is exposing yourself?? Egads! Keep your clothes on...Please!!
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