 California employees may soon be protected by a new bill which will help protect those who partake in cannabis during their free time, away from work. Assembly Bill 2188 would prevent employers from discriminating employees or potential new hires based on THC testing which use urine or hair testing which detects inactive metabolites of THC.
When drug testing currently, employers generally only test for THC metabolites, which is a waste product of THC, detected by urine and hair testing. But these metabolites can remain present in urine and hair for days or weeks later, which makes them an inaccurate way to test for current THC intoxication. The new bill would remove these tests from being used by employers, but still allow oral swab or computer-based performance testing to be used. These other methods are considered to be more reliable indicators of recent use or impairment. California NORML issued a press release, saying, “Scientific studies have failed to show that urine testing is effective at preventing workplace accidents. Numerous studies have found that workers who test positive for metabolites have no higher risk of workplace accidents.” California NORML Deputy Director Ellen Komp spoke about the 21 other states which have employee workplace regulations in place, and added, “California, a global leader in progressive causes, still has no protections for its workers who consume cannabis. It’s high time to change that and protect California’s workers.” With this in mind, California NORML is urging residents to write a letter to your state senator in support of AB 2188. Links can be found on the NORML website, or on theMnewsnow.com under the “action” tab (click here). The new proposed bill is currently under review by an Appropriations committee and if passed there will move to the floor for a full state Senate vote. Comments are closed.
|
RSS Feed