Posted on 08/13/2010 12:06:56 PM PDT by nickcarraway
If marijuana was legal for adults in California, would more people show up at work high? And how would that change the definition of a "smoke break" during work hours?
That's the latest issue facing proponents of Proposition 19, the ballot measure that would make marijuana legal for adults in California.
Voters will have a chance in November to decide whether to legalize marijuana for recreational purposes for adults over 21 but the political debate over the controversial issue has been heating up for quite some time. The latest argument against the ballot measure is that given the legal freedom to smoke pot, people will be high at work.
The California Chamber of Commerce on Thursday released a legal analysis that claims Proposition 19 would lead to more workplace accidents by forcing employers to let workers smoke pot on the job.
The analysis by the non-profit group also challenges the proposed law by claiming it would make California companies ineligible for federal contracts because employers could not guarantee a drug-free workplace. From the CalChamber website:
If this measure were approved, employers, including the State of California, would be faced with the burden of proving that an employee who tests positive for marijuana is “actually impaired” from performing the job before taking any adverse action against the employee. This process would delay disciplinary actions used to protect workplace safety and drive up costs due to increased litigation.
But the debate hits a wall with medical marijuana proponents, who say it's much safer than certain perscription drugs.
Nick Willis, of Palliative Health Care in San Jose, argues that in some cases, worker performance could be enhanced by cannabis.
"I have families members with severe arthirtis." Willis told us, "If they're typing or driving for work, they apply it to their knuckles and it helps relieve some pain."
Prop 19 supporters say under the law, employers will still have the right to make their own rules and if being drug-free is a job requirement, employers can ban their workers from smoking marijuana.
Kewl Dude.
Can you demand the "right" to operate heavy machinery while taking prescription medicine?
Nope. Go home and smoke your dope.
When you sick leave runs out, find a new employer.
And there are already plenty of Americans living on "disablity" from the government who do nothing but smoke pot and drink beer from sun up to sunset.
Land of the free and home of the wage slave.
This is absurd. By this “logic” when alcohol prohibition was repealed then employers had to let their workers show up on the job sloshed to the gills.
“for adults”
sure, they already “prescribe” it for minors.
Alcohol is legal but, you can’t show up to work drunk.
Dirty little secret about sales: Quite a few are cokeheads.
Dirty little secret about the restaurant business: Most of the kitchen staff is baked.
Drug abuse in the workplace is already quite prevalent.
I don’t think legalizing it will make one bit of difference.
Why don’t they just find a judge to declare it legal?
Additionally more employers are going to a tobacco-free staff. No tobacco (smoking or smokeless) even in your off-work hours.
Since this is allowed to stand (”for insurance purposes”) then the same stands to rule for those who engage in other risky behaviors.
It would no more allow pot smoking at work than it would allow drinking at work. Dumb ass.
Yep, those sandwich artists look pretty wasted.
But remember, we are told alcohol is evil, and pot is good.
Beer is legal but I can’t take a beer break. Alcohol & smoking is prohibited on my company’s campus. Would probably be the same with MJ.
I don't get it. Under their logic, wouldn't employers now be forced to allow workers to drink alcohol on the job?
The proposition deals with legalizing marijuana for recreational purposes, not medicinal purposes.
Smokers can’t smoke on the job but the commies want to make legal to smoke pot on the job. Does the second-hand-smoke rule not apply to pot? Is that what I’m missing?
drinking is tolerated (or employers at least look the other way) in many places. restuarants, bars and strip clubs sometimes encourage their wait/ bar/ entertainment staff to accept drinks from patrons as it increases business.
in alot of union shops, a drink or two at lunch is acceptable.
Tobacco and alcohol are bad, apparently. Other things aren’t.
Really? Darn it! I guess I’d better head for home before I get in trouble...
;-)
Drive safely!! }:~)
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