NJ Town Warns Employees About Legal Marijuana Use

As cannabis stores in New Jersey open to large crowds, the Town of Woodland Park is warning its 120 employees about the dangers associated with off-duty marijuana use. The emphasis is on police officers and those who operate heavy machinery.

Here's why: In case of an on-the-job accident or incident, it would be difficult to discern whether an employee was impaired at the time or if a positive drug result was due to prior use. THC stays in a person's system for several weeks. A positive test result could be used to determine the municipality's liability in any incident - a truck crash or police shooting, for example.

Cannabis legalization by states is forcing a second look at workplace testing policies and employers are scrambling to both comply with the law and retain a workforce that increasingly consumes cannabis on their off-time. The chasm between state and federal law - which still classifies cannabis as a Schedule I drug like heroin or cocaine - complicates things further.

Organizations like SHRM are helping employers navigate the complicated cannabis landscape.

Keep in mind that using cannabis in the evening in your living room is different than showing up high for work.

Find out how your workplace addresses cannabis use. Read their personnel policies. Think about your responsibilities at work. Then decide if cannabis use potentially interferes with your livelihood or your career and whether it has a place in your life.