Thirty-seven states now allow adults to use marijuana medically, recreationally or both. But in most of those states, people can be fired or denied a job for using cannabis in their free time.
Cannabis legalization advocates want states to do more to protect workers. They note that workplace drug tests don't measure whether someone is high at the time of the test, just whether they've used recently. And they say workplace drug testing is an equity issue, as tests are more common in blue-collar jobs and disproportionately affect non-White workers.
But certain employers are required to test for marijuana under federal law—the federal government classifies marijuana as a dangerous drug akin to heroin—and others want to make sure they don't employ drug users who could threaten workplace safety.
