Thirty-seven states now allow adults to use marijuana medically, recreationally, or both. But in most of those states, people can be fired or denied a job for using cannabis in their free time. Cannabis legalization advocates want states to do more to protect workers. They note that workplace drug tests don’t measure whether someone is high at the time of the test, just whether they’ve used recently. And they say workplace drug testing is an equity issue, as tests are more common in blue-collar jobs and disproportionately affect non-white workers. But certain employers are required to test for marijuana under federal law — the federal government classifies marijuana as a dangerous drug akin to heroin — and others want to make sure they don’t employ drug users who could threaten workplace safety. So far, 14 states and Washington, D.C., have banned employers from discriminating against workers who use marijuana for medical reasons. New Jersey and New York ban employers from discriminating against workers who legally use marijuana medically or recreationally. And Nevada bans employers from refusing to hire someone solely because they fail a marijuana test. The laws generally make exceptions for certain employers and occupations.

Sophie Quinton, stltoday.com | the #1 St. Louis website, 03/03/2022 09:43:00

Open article: https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/marijuana/workers-who-legally-use-cannabis-can-still-lose-their-jobs/article_775e9547-af7f-5dd8-827b-fa4bd034b597.html

Pennsylvania lawmakers researching a bill to legalize recreational marijuana received a barrage of information Tuesday during a spirited, two-hour hearing in West Philadelphia. They heard testimony espousing their instituting automatic and retroactive mass expungement of cannabis convictions and keeping the state’s “white cartel” of medical marijuana firms’ executives from taking over the recreational market. And there were calls to just legalize it already — from a medical marijuana patient who said he spent time in jail partly because of marijuana charges. The House Democratic Policy Committee hearing, convened by State Rep. Amen Brown, and other meetings held in Harrisburg recently by the Republican-led Senate Law and Justice Committee highlighted the multitude of demands that lawmakers have to satisfy — criminal and economic justice, work-related and driver safety, and more — to get a legalization bill passed. Brown, a West Philadelphia Democrat, said after the hearing that the bill he is proposing with State Sen. Mike Regan, a Republican from central Pennsylvania who attended Tuesday’s hearing in Philadelphia, solves many of those concerns. It’s uncertain when they will introduce that legislation or whether it stands any chance in the state House of Representatives, where Republican leaders remain steadfastly opposed to legalization.

Cannabis Business Executive – Cannabis and Marijuana industry news, 03/02/2022 09:04:00

Open article: https://www.cannabisbusinessexecutive.com/2022/03/legalizing-weed-in-pennsylvania-faces-complicated-demands/

The Ohio House passed a bipartisan bill Wednesday that would allow patients with an autism spectrum disorder to legally obtain medical marijuana. House Bill 60 passed 73 by 13. It now heads to the Senate for consideration. The bill is sponsored by Reps. Juanita Brent, a Cleveland Democrat, and Bill Seitz, a Cincinnati Republican. Brent said people in her district, and Ohioans from other parts of the state, have asked for autism spectrum disorder to be added to the list of qualifying conditions. Seventeen states, including Michigan and Pennsylvania, allow medical marijuana for patients with autism. HB 60 advances through the legislature amid a flurry of other bills and efforts to expand marijuana in Ohio. Currently, there are 25 conditions for which people can obtain medical marijuana with a doctor’s recommendation. The State Medical Board of Ohio and the legislature can add new conditions. At the State Medical Board of Ohio, a review of potential new conditions occurs every year. It has rejected autism spectrum disorder for several years after objections from doctors at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, who ran clinical trials for a cannabis-based medication for seizures made by a pharmaceutical company.

Laura, Cleveland OH Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather – cleveland.com, 03/02/2022 15:25:00

Open article: https://www.cleveland.com/news/2022/03/ohio-house-passes-bill-to-allow-medical-marijuana-for-patients-with-autism.html