Last October 2018 in Canada, recreational use of cannabis was legalized. Unsurprisingly, the number of users increased and it has become a concern whether it will affect greatly in the workplace if the recreational use is practice the same way as smoking cigarettes.
It is already a fact how the use of marijuana affects the disposition of the user. However, for a business owner, having your employee under its influence during working periods, legalized it may be, will certainly cause worries about the performance and productivity. To avoid further damage, consider the following points:
You can still disallow its use
Even it is legal, just like alcohol drinks and even cigarettes, you can ban its usage within the working place if it is stated on your rules and policies. Use languages that specify the details of such banning substances and practices in the workplace. The owner or any person of authority have any right to impose such ban if constant productivity is required for the job at all times. The clearer the policies are made; the fewer issues will arise upon its implementation.
You have to allow medicinal use of cannabis
Medical marijuana has been used for other persons with mild disabilities. Out of the two potent chemicals, THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol), it is CBD that provides medicinal effects to the user. Medical marijuana is already in the same category like a legal drug. However, to prevent any abuse or misuse, business owners can require prescriptions from concerned employees for validation.
The law is not yet being settled
Legal drugs can also be abused like painkillers and sleep inducers. Medical marijuana is no exception. They can still be abused in some ways unnoticeable by the business authorities. There is a reason why marijuana remains as a Schedule 1 drug, same with heroin. The ambiguity for its use cause further debates and discussions from lawmakers. As an employer, it is best to stay updated with the laws, policies and current issues on the news.
You may or may not conduct drug tests concerning cannabis use
An alcoholic may not do harm in your business as long as the performance is there. But if an intoxicated employee shows up at the workplace and screw things up, you must exercise the rule of law. You don’t have to test every person to determine whether there is a habit of alcoholism or not. After all, alcoholic drinks are legal. Nevertheless, the habit must be done accordingly.
In that logic, marijuana users also have to be treated like alcoholics. They need not to be tested as long as they are performing. If they are under the influence assuming there is no ban in the workplace and screw things up, you will have to take the necessary actions. Like in all businesses, productivity comes first. The right to test an employee for substance use lies solely to whether it is declared completely legal or not, either in a local scale like the workplace or nationwide.