Connecticut follows the states of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington, as well as Washington, D.C., in passing medical marijuana laws.
A measure allowing use of medical marijuana in Connecticut has been signed into law by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy. Connecticut joins 16 other states and the District of Columbia in authorizing use of the drug to provide relief from debilitating medical conditions.
Malloy said Friday (06-01-12) that the law will allow the Department of Consumer Protection to regulate and monitor the use of marijuana in a way that will help avoid problems seen in other states.
Patients will be able to obtain marijuana only from certified pharmacists. The law allows for the licensing of at least three but not more than 10 marijuana producers statewide. Qualifying conditions for patients include cancer, glaucoma, AIDS or HIV, Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis.
USA Mobile Drug Testing (USAMDT) advises clients to tackle this situation carefully and with advice of our compliance specialists. Department of Transportation (DOT) regulated employees cannot under any situation be under the influence of marijuana. The Department of Transportation’s Drug and Alcohol Testing Regulation – 49 CFR Part 40, at 40.151(e) – does not authorize “medical marijuana” under a state law to be a valid medical explanation for a transportation employee’s positive drug test result.
“Non-Regulated employers must also address medical marijuana in their Drug Free Workplace Policies” stated Joe Strom, CEO of USA Mobile Drug Testing. “Our USA Mobile Drug Testing compliance specialists advise the following statement to be include in Drug Free Workplace policies when management is firm on not employing marijuana users: “The company prohibits employees from reporting for work with an illegal drug, including marijuana (medical or otherwise), in his or her system. The company enforces this policy consistently with respect to all drugs, including medical marijuana, as the law allows the company to do.”
