State of Michigan considers ending most cannabis drug testing

Man Rolling Joint by Elsa Olofsson

Man Rolling Joint by Elsa OlofssonMarijuana Moment shares that Michigan officials are proposing to end pre-employment drug testing for marijuana for most government job applicants, while also giving people who’ve already been penalized over positive THC tests an opportunity to have the sanction retroactively rescinded:

The Michigan Civil Service Commission released the proposed amendments to the government’s employment code on Friday, opening a public comment period on the two policies.

“Michigan voters legalized marijuana’s medicinal use in 2008 and recreational use by adults in 2018,” John Gnodtke, the state personnel director, wrote in a memo. “In light of these changes, commissioners have requested circulation for public comment of potential regulation amendments to end the preemployment-testing requirement for marijuana for classified employees hired into non-test-designated positions.”

“Ending this pre-employment testing for marijuana would not affect the availability of reasonable-suspicion or follow-up testing for marijuana of classified employees, including candidates who become employees,” the notice says.

The first change would amend existing code that says state agencies must drug test applicants for cannabis and other substances by adding language saying “except that an appointing authority shall not require testing for marijuana for a pre‐employment drug test of a new hire to a position that is not test‐designated.”

Public comments on the amendments must be submitted to the commission by June 23 and may be emailed to MCSC-OGC@mi.gov.

Read more at Marijuana Moment and may we say: About Damn Time!

photo credit: Man Rolling Joint by Elsa Olofsson