Our View

Our View

How close are we to toking it up in the workplace?

Now that Arkansas has officially become known as the only southern state where smoking “pot” for supposed medical reasons is now legal, it’s time to bring up the issue of workplace concerns and what will be the rules by which employers must abide.

Well, let’s make it clear that this new law, which by the way we strongly opposed, allows these qualifying ill “pot heads” with certain medical conditions certain protections.

So then, let’s begin by saying an employer must understand that he or she can’t discriminate against an individual authorized to toke up and that includes not hiring, discipline, failing to promote or terminate one’s employment.

Furthermore, an employer must understand that these sickly employees can’t be disciplined for smoking pot or having it in their possession as long as it is no more than 2.5 ounces.

And listen, if an employer has more than one sickly “qualified patient” in the workplace they can’t be disciplined for sharing their marijuana, and they can’t be punished for walking around the workplace with various paraphernalia.

With all this in mind the question arises as to just what type of medical conditions must a “qualifying patient” have to be suffering from? Based on the law Arkansas voters so graciously approved the specified medical conditions include cancer, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, severe arthritis, post-traumatic stress disorder, Tourette’s syndrome, hepatitis C, Crohn’s disease, fibromyalgia, Alzheimer’s disease, ulcerative colitis and any “chronic or debilitating disease or medical condition with symptoms such as peripheral neurophathy, “intractable pain,” seizures, “severe” nausea or “severe and persistent” muscle spasms.

And oh, if that isn’t enough we’re told the Department of Health may just add to this list in the future.

Let’s make it clear, that regardless of this new state law the federal government still considers possession of marijuana, under any circumstances, illegal but enforcement is so lax its use is somewhat commonplace, legal or illegal.

It is being advised that employers simply think about medical marijuana like any other prescribed medication but does not take into consideration the majority of other employees in the workplace who don’t use “pot” and don’t care to be in an area where it is being used.

While all these stipulations are being made clear on the part of the employer we’d sure like to know what the rights of those workers who oppose the use of marijuana in the workplace.

We believe before this issue is finally made clear there will be a lot more questions that need answered, not to mention what stance the incoming administration has to say about this controversial issue.