Preventing Weed in the Workplace

The number of marijuana users in the U.S has risen rapidly and is still on the rise. The impact of such increase is showing at work.

Pre-employment drug screening Vancouver, in its drug tests and drug screens have reported more positive tests for weed.
The penalty for the positive test is the refusal to hire, and employees are disciplined or even fired. An employee who may be familiar with the state laws legalizing weed for medical or recreational use might be surprised by the harsh workplace penalty. However, employers continue to have rational reasons for enforcing the strong substance abuse policy which includes their ban on marijuana at the office.
The need for pre-employment drug screening Vancouver
Safety Issues
Safety concerns are always a company's main reason for banning weed in the workplace, and this is a valid basis for prohibiting the drug. Marijuana use in the office has been associated with an increase in job injuries and accidents, and National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that short-term effects of weed include impaired body movement, memory problems, difficulty with reasoning and problem-solving, and a transformed sense of time.
When inhaled, the cannabinoids found in weed begin to take effect, and they work by attaching some receptors in the brain which influence memory, pleasure, thought, sensory and time perception, and concentration. The smokers heart rate increases and their airway and muscle become relaxed. The changes made to the sensory system will make the user experience loss of coordination or balance and decreased alertness and reaction. Simple tasks at this time may seem difficult for the worker, and this can lead to a workplace accident or even death of the user or a fellow employee.
In May 2015, the article published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine found that there is a statistical association between drug use, including weed, and workplace accidents. Even though some studies state that marijuana use might be reasonably safe in controlled environments, its link with workplace injuries and accidents raises concern.
The drug impairs motor coordination, attentiveness, and reaction time and also impacts the perception of speed and time. Studies have found that weed negatively impacts the driving performance of its users, and other researchers have discovered that acute abuse of the drug may increase the risk of fatal collisions and crashes.
Also, the reports from the traffic management sector show that since weed or medical marijuana was legalized in the state of Colorado in 2009, there have been a higher percentage accidents including marijuana-positive drivers.
Nationwide, the use of weed has increased dramatically. One survey from the NIH found that the use doubled between 2001 and 2013, and is now 9.5% from 4.1%, and addiction rates have increased from the 1.5% to 2.9% of the population.
Why do people use it?
The reason most people smoke marijuana is usually the same reason other people use heroin, alcohol, or ecstasy, - they want to change their feelings, reasoning, and behavior. This deliberate impairment and the possible impact of weed in the workplace by the user directly causes increased safety incidents as well as workers’ compensation claims. Pre-employment drug screening Vancouver reports that the 17% of users who are addicted may experience the increase in respiratory illnesses or even develop psychiatric issues that would require medical treatment, and this will lead to healthcare premium increases. Recurrent tardiness and unexcused absenteeism will cause a reduction in overall employee confidence dramatically affecting the customer service of a company.
When all's said and done, fighting weed prohibition merely on personal prejudice or principle is not enough. A staff under the influence of different pain pills for a genuine medical condition might be taking the drug as prescribed, but they aren’t still permitted to use a vehicle while weakened, so they should not be permitted to work on a forklift while they are impaired. The same factors can be used for marijuana consumption.
We expect employees and our employers to be operating at 100 percent when they come to work. Indeed, laws could change, and employers may adapt. However, retail industry executives should agree that a level of deliberate impairment, no matter how little, should not be accepted in the American workplace. For now, marijuana in the office is no exception.