Employees, marijuana and the law
Wenatchee World Business World
Author: Lindsey Weidenbach
Last month, Washingtonians voted to decriminalize the use of marijuana by the passage of Initiative 502. I-502 makes it legal to possess as much as one ounce of pot. However, it does not require employers to accommodate employee use of the drug. This paradigm has left many employers wondering — how can I regulate employee use of marijuana?
I-502 appears to treat marijuana use similarly to that of alcohol: you have to be 21 years or older to be in possession of the drug and it is illegal to drive after marijuana use. One notable difference between marijuana and alcohol is that marijuana has an estimated 24-hour half-life; meaning that if you enjoy a Sunday barbeque and a joint, you will still be under the effects of the drug come Monday morning.