What's Your Opinion: Are you concerned about how new marijuana laws will affect safety?

I would truly hope that those making the decisions on the use of Medical Marijuana would have the sense to address the issues of people working and driving.

Marijuana is not much different from alcohol, yet there is no stigma attached to it. You can legally consume mass quantities of alcohol in public if you want.

Alcohol has established limits even if they may vary from site to site. We have not established "safe" levels for THC. So how do companies police their work force when someone shows up to work obviously under the influence of THC but levels are not established. Most companies will continue their level of "0" until cases are launched by employees of unfair termination. Legalization of marijuana has created safety and legal issues for employers trying to have safe work places as mandated by OSHA.

How could anyone in the workplace not be concerned with safety? Medical use should be monitored as any prescribed medication. It is mind boggling that recreational use is allowed and has made it to a level of being discussed.

I think once you open the door for even medicinal purposes it will be abused and the results of that abuse will be reflected in a rise in incident rate. With the current use and abuse of alcohol and prescription meds that have and will continue to make their way into our work force, all we are doing by allowing the use of marijuana for medical purposes is simply opening yet another door to allow it to filter into our work force, knocking another huge hole in the dam.

Under the influence of drugs including marijuana and alcohol still makes it illegal to drive and work. We have a drug and alcohol policy in place and operate in Washington State.

There has been extensive studies shown that abuse of alcohol consumption is a main factor of casualties in automobile accidents. If marijuana becomes legalized, naturally performance restrictions should be implemented for safety and health reasons. Practical standards should apply. To say if I disagree or agree with the laws is irrelevant. Regardless of implementations and or opinions, the law should be respected and followed.

Too many people remain ignorant as to the adverse heath effects of marijuana, both in terms of short term and long term use. There is ample evidence marijuana has both sort and long term ill-effects on the human body, especially the brain and lungs. Alcohol can be a problem, but not nearly as adverse as marijuana. There is too much incorrect "information" out there on this matter and I blame the media just as much as I blame "liberal" politicians who pander for the younger vote. This attitude already has an adverse effect on our country and our culture. It will get worse.

1- Med pros agree, marijuana is a gateway drug 2- as the Aug 28 poster noted, legislatures need to consider the working & driving issues when 'legalizing' 3 - alcohol can be & is abused but many, myself included, can honestly say they have a glass of wine for the taste, not to get 'high'. Purposely altering one's conscious state whether downing a 6 pack or smoking joints is unsafe, unhealthy & just plain stupid. We do far too much enabling.

Zero tolerance for drugs means ZERO. If you need medical marijuana --there are other jobs that don't put everyone around you at an increased risk for injury or death. Unfortunately, I believe we will clog the courts with this issue instead of letting common sense prevail.

I agreewith Charles' comment that we have not looked at what levels are "Safe". I realize that most drug policies prohibit being under the influence and include prescription as well as the illegal drugs and alcohol. Does this make the workplace safe if the employee does not realize they are under the influence? I hae experienced a worker who after an injury and being found to be under the influence (way over the minimum levels), told me that he did not think he was still under the influence and thought that his use would have worn off by the time he went to work. We still have much to learn. If we don't know how can we educate the public.

I feel that even though the law decides they can make marijuana legal, it still will not protect the employees from being discharged. Due to the fact that if you have it in your company policy stating, no drug usage, it protects the company and every company has the right to discharge as long as it is stated and agreed upon prior to employment.

Users build up tremendous tolerance like tobacco users and unlike alcohol....marijuana actually tends to make one more cautious whereas alcohol makes one bolder. i witnessed many pot users that smoked at work in a chemical plant in the 70s and never saw a problem..the ones that came in drunk were often a problem...don't compare it to alcohol which is highly dose related. which makes a safe level of THC difficult to establish just as nicotine would be in naive users