DENVER — For years now, marijuana has been legal in Colorado on a recreational and medical level.
However, employers in the state still have the ability to drug test for marijuana and implement a zero-tolerance policy.
Now, state lawmakers are once again considering a bill that would bar employers from firing workers simply over their cannabis use.
HB22-1152 would require employers to allow their employees to use medical marijuana on premises during work hours and use recreational or medical marijuana off premises during non-work hours.
The bill does carve out some exceptions for professions that are dangerous or require certain skills.
Carolyn Edwards lost her job last year over a positive drug test. Edwards has been a nurse anesthetist for 35 years. She suffers from a genetic condition that causes extreme pain at times.
To manage the pain, Edwards started using a CBD product known as Charlotte’s Web. However, the THC from the product showed up in a drug test.
“I don’t use THC, I don’t use marijuana. I was simply using an over-the-counter, legal medicine that had 0.1% THC, which resulted in a positive drug screen,” she said. “Even my doctor said that CBD is the best medicine for my disease.”
Edwards was placed on administrative leave for two weeks before being asked to sign a form admitting that she used drugs.
She says the form also required her to agree to random drug tests for a year and to attend monthly drug rehabilitation counseling. She refused to sign the paper…
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DENVER — For years now, marijuana has been legal in Colorado on a recreational and medical level.
However, employers in the state still have the ability to drug test for marijuana and implement a zero-tolerance policy.
Now, state lawmakers are once again considering a bill that would bar employers from firing workers simply over their cannabis use.
HB22-1152 would require employers to allow their employees to use medical marijuana on premises during work hours and use recreational or medical marijuana off premises during non-work hours.
The bill does carve out some exceptions for professions that are dangerous or require certain skills.
Carolyn Edwards lost her job last year over a positive drug test. Edwards has been a nurse anesthetist for 35 years. She suffers from a genetic condition that causes extreme pain at times.
To manage the pain, Edwards started using a CBD product known as Charlotte’s Web. However, the THC from the product showed up in a drug test.
“I don’t use THC, I don’t use marijuana. I was simply using an over-the-counter, legal medicine that had 0.1% THC, which resulted in a positive drug screen,” she said. “Even my doctor said that CBD is the best medicine for my disease.”
Edwards was placed on administrative leave for two weeks before being asked to sign a form admitting that she used drugs.
She says the form also required her to agree to random drug tests for a year and to attend monthly drug rehabilitation counseling. She refused to sign the paper…