What's Your Opinion: As more U.S. states move toward legalizing marijuana, are you concerned about the effects on worker safety?

The focus should be on eliminating impairment in the workplace for alcohol and all drugs that pose a threat in safety sensitive positions, not in playing "gotcha" with employees who legally use cannabis for medical or recreational purposes off the job, or who use medical cannabis for pain or other reasons (muscle spasms, MS, to help with chemo treatment etc,) while working in non-safety sensitive positions. The NSC should support better testing methods, better supervisor training to recognize impairment, and push for a reasonable, compassionate approach. Medical marijuana also has been deemed effective for opiate addiction treatment, and NSC should support this because opiates are the real killer. More states now have legalized use than punish it, and it is ludicrous to oppose legalization and push to incarcerate patients.

I agree fully with the first commenter - impairment in the workplace is the issue - not just testing positive for a legal or prescribed drug that stays in the system for weeks.

I am the Safety Leader coordinator for Washington State's largest Cannabis grow and processor...employing nearly 375 employees. Washington State classifies our indoor grow company as "Greenhouse" classification. Our HR department conducts stringent background and drug testing prior to hire. Our company is not concerned with THC levels in candidate's screening. Thus, we have potentially cannabis infused employees at any given time. We do not allow cannabis consumption during work, and terminate for proven visible evidence of use during off-clock lunch breaks. The technology for personal screening of cannabis has not been able to zero in on exact time of consumption. We are "Our Brother's Keeper" as irresponsible cannabis use could lead to Company and Industry ruin. Our employees experience a level of honesty and priviledge which brings safety awareness and compassion to the front line in all we do. The tendancy is to shy away from governmental agencies and probing in such an industry...I have taken an opposite tact. Contrarily, we have embraced are local State LnI consultation program to begin establishing safe cannabis manufacturing processes. Our Risk Factor multiplier is below the industry average. Our employees enjoy 5S, the Lean training philosophy, and company provided lunches. We experience less dependability problems, less alcohol and illicit drug issues, because employees are free to be themselves in their private lives. First we grow fantastic employees...and the cannabis follows. We now have 2 years of data to prove; employees free to use cannabis in their personal life, are safer than the industry avaerage for our risk class. Cannabis is the health solution for many. Science is now able to discover and share this information. We treat our facility and product with a medical mindset. Please feel free to contact me at Grow Op Farms LLC, Spokane Wa. The most serious fun work environment in the World !

Sometimes, as safety professionals, we fail to note the obvious prevention tools. Most companies already have strong drug testing programs and drug & alcohol policies in place. Increased use of marijuana in whatever scenario won't change those policies. The training that supervisors receive in recognizing symptoms of use won't change. The concern that safety employees have for their workplace won't change. It really amounts to the strength of your safety program prior to an increase in consumption of any drug. Those who choose to work unsafely will simply find themselves out of a job with your organization.

First of all I believe that people should be able to do what they want to do as long as it is legal at their own home. They should have the freedom to know they can do this without repercussions that may come on Monday because they were called for a random. I feel that it should not be done at work for safety reasons and I feel that it should at the very least be available for seriously ill patients for whatever reason their doctor deems appropriate. It is not ours to question. It is our responsibility to make the workplace safe and to me this would be no different than telling everyone it is okay to consume alcohol while you are at work. Totally inappropriate and doesn't belong in the workplace....as is the case of marijuana. I think it can be controlled and I think that we would have a good workforce that would follow the rules and not do it while at work nor would they come to work drunk. I have been in the HR field since 1980. I do not smoke marijuana but I see a change coming and we should be prepared for the change and work with the change. That is what we do. Accept things that you cannot change and later you can look at it and say....it wasn't that big of a deal.

The fear is how are we to judge the fitness for work. Alcohol is one issue you can usually detect by smell. Would you want your pilot or surgeon on the job while under the influence of any substance. What if anything has been learned from Colorado and the states that already went this rout?

I work as a Safety Manager, In the Oil And Gas industry. And I have seen some great employees get terminated from there job because they chose to smoke Marijuana on their off time. A lot of our work force is made up of Transient workers meaning, they are not full time employees and travel job to job chasing the T/A's. I do think its unfair to penalize the employee that partakes legal Marijuana on his or her own time. There needs to be a test that can pin point a time or an amount the employee consumed just like a breathalyzer for alcohol. I also agree there should be no illicit drug or alcohol use on the job site. as we all strive for goal zero! Times are changing and we all need to change with the times.

We are a small chemical company and we need to make sure our employee's are safe and alert at all times. No smoking is allowed. Safety is our major concern for all employees. We do random drug testing on everyone.

As more states move toward legalizing marijuana, my concern about the effects of worker safety are associated with the blurred lines created between the Federal and State systems. Such a vast area of grey area has been created where, aside from the criminal climate, workers may have the opportunity to partake in a state endorsed legal marijuana environment through traveling and then return to a state with no tolerance which confuses incidents such as a work place injuries or random drug tests. As a result of an employee being confirmed to have used marijuana, the common approach forces employers to prove that they are not targeting or discriminating against an employee when recent history and federal law reflects that using marijuana is unacceptable (e.g. through company policy) and unlawful.

The affects and effects on one under the influence - operating machinery, keeping alert, driving and endless physical and mental reasons not yet discovered.

I'm somewhat concerned, because drugs react differently to all individuals. So some may already partake in the use of marijuana and you may never know they are, as to others it may be quite obvious. I tried it years ago and didn't like how I felt so I didn't try it again. I'm sure we all have that one person who partakes in using marijuana and you would never guess that they do. Just sayin'

This might be the biggest drain on nations programs. Companies trying to ramp up their manufacturing is going to NEED drug free employees. With marijuana remaining in the system for so long, employees are either going to have to kick the habit or go without work. someone I know in manufacturing says they are trying to grow their workforce by several hundred, but just recently had to let go of a number of individuals due to failed drug tests. I personally don't see how they will ever be able to meet their employment needs.

It does not matter what the State might approve its still a violation of company rules to report to work under the influence not to mention the high probability of accident and failing the subsequent mandatory after accident drug test.

I would not be so concerned that if an employee used it on the weekend and was not impaired at work, but I believe that if an employee was under the influence of THC he would possibly be very impaired. So if an employee is behaving erratic or seems impaired, or if he is involved in an incident, and we follow policy to have him drug tested, he may show positive even if he had not used cannabis for weeks. I fear that will always be the excuse, "it can show in my system for 30 days, and I was not impaired at work, I used it 3 weeks ago." Where with other drugs and alcohol it is more clear, marijuana will make things a lot more fuzzy, and it will be difficult for employers to manage it and keep the workplace safe.

Gateway Drug! All I have to say.

Safety on the workplace is one thing and the driver that is on the road next to you, behind you, in front of you is another. Marijuana should be legalized when drug testing can show when it was last smoked and if the user is impaired. We do have tests for alcohol.

No worker should be under the influence of any substance (legal or illegal) that affects their ability to work safely. The problem we face with marijuana is that there is no accurate way to determine when a person is under the influence or may have used marijuana off-duty. Current substance abuse laws and regulations designate an arbitrary limit that may be exceeded for someone who used marijuana when they were not working, but still have metabolites in their system (that do not affect safety). Properly trained supervisors should be able to determine when an employee is under the influence, but few supervisors have the knowledge (or time) to evaluate if someone is under the influence during work hours. I am concerned about the employee who uses alcohol, antihistamines, etc. before reporting for work (or has a hangover from the night before) and is not fit for duty. So the basic question is "can we train supervisors to evaluate ability for work under a plethora of circumstances." I do not think marijuana is a special concern, but overall determination of a worker's ability to perform a task safely needs to be addressed.

My best workers smoke, more productive by far...........

People do not think it is a danger to smoke dope and work. They are wrong. It is no different than being under the effects of alcohol.

As many have stated, surely the issue is impairment during work activities. Current testing/analysis methods do not allow for discernment between intoxication last night at home VS today on the job, leaving you only with a qualitative assessment. This of course is less than optimum and will likely fail to hold up when pushed. I'm all for the use of appropriate 'medicine', but we can't just put the rose-colored glasses on. We all know that if you would like to get a prescription, you can...same as the pain mgt. clinics that pump out pharmaceuticals to those who are hooked. And if you believe that more widespread use and legalization will not follow with a natural increase in on-the-job impairment, I believe you are fooling yourself.

I have read all the comments below, and still wonder if we are getting the real story. Most comments seem to have a slant of acceptance, when the survey clearly shows more concern. I work in safety for an HVAC/Piping company. You know, fire, water, forklifts, back hoes, crane work. Real life safety issues everyday. I am scared to death over the relaxation of the California laws, which still seem to be a money grab for the taxation of it. To be so dependent on the need for more funds, in the state with so much taxation already just blows me away! Because some businesses continue to run efficiently even in the cannabis industry while impaired, is not surprising, dude. Your industry, your rules. What about the next generation of todays' working parents, who enjoy cannabis relaxation time at home in front of the kids, because it's legal. It just sends the wrong message in my way of thinking. The generations that follow will continue to struggle for good paying employment when the resume shows; hobbys: Family plot of Pot. I grew up when air was clean, and sex was dirty. How things have changed!

Safety Scott, I think your progressive policies are great. I don't use marijuana at all. However, I have so many friends that use the products which do not make them 'high' to manage chronic pain and a whole host of other afflictions. IMHO, medical marijuana is a heck of a lot better than opioids in treating pain. Furthermore, I am really hoping that someone can come up with a test that accurately measures impairment, similar to a breathalyzer. There are so many factors involved in calculating the length of time that THC will show up in a urine sample. I love the idea of honesty and the "brother's keeper" value system. Our company does not immediately terminate for a positive THC test.

Marijuana is no more risky on-the-job than are a myriad of prescription drugs, and should be treated as such. There should be a distinction between medical and recreational marijuana. If an employee displays signs of impairment from ANY drug, legal or otherwise, he/she should be sent home and sick time deducted. If any employee has a prescription for medical marijuana and, for instance, takes a dose first thing each morning, but is not "high," and can perform job tasks as required, there should be no issue. Recreational marijuana should be handled like any other substance that affects productivity--banned during work hours, period, as are alcohol and otherwise legal drugs. Legislation needs to get out of the pocket of Big Pharm and recognize the immense medical benefits that come with medical marijuana. Employees need to grow up and realize they are responsible for their own behavior and skirting the rules of safety and productivity will buy them a fast ticket out of their jobs.

I would assume that safety is everyone's concern on this site. The challenge of this is how to determine impairment. I have read many articles on the research on the affects of marijuana on impairment and brain function. The affects of alcohol on a persons body are well known. Many articles show that impairment is tough to define. How much a person smokes/ingests and potency? Many refer to the lasting affects on brain function which can last for many hours and even days. I would not want anyone at our facility to be operating machinery or automobiles unless there is no impairment. Right now this is not clearly defined in any research that I have read. As one other person stated, would you want your doctor/surgeon or airline pilot to possibly not be as sharp as the can be when performing their tasks?

My main concern is an employee being under the influence of marijuana while operating motor vehicles, machinery, hand and power tools and other pieces of equipment in the workplace. He/she becomes a workplace safety risk to himself and others around him. Two main side effects of marijuana to consider when we talk about workplace safety are cognitive impairment and slower reaction times. I work in the Transportation Industry and marijuana use while operating trucks, cars, planes, trains, and boats are a BAD combination, especially when it comes to transporting people!

As many others have voiced, we do not have very good ways to evaluate impairment due to cannabis/THC. Better training for those tasked with spotting impairment in the workplace would be good, but still leaves one with making a subjective judgment. Will those judgments stand legal scrutiny? Our ability to detect and deal with this impairment has not kept pace with this social change. If the federal rules on cannabis change, there will be more impaired people at work.

I agree the focus should be on impairment. This is the direction OSHA has taken with its interpretation of post accident drug panels. That being said, since we are in the business of risk management, we need to consider the litigious nature of the country, and look out for the employers. If an employee injures or kills another employee, visitor, or customer, the employer is often considered in civil procedings. Whereas alcohol remains in the system for hours, THC shows in drug screens for weeks. To me that seems to pose a scary risk to the employer.

Too many stoners would cause safety concerns. You can't send them all home because you wouln't have enough workers.

I was shocked to see that only 55% of those polled are very concerned about the legalization of marijuana and it's affect on the work force. Marijuana's effects on a persons body pares much with alcohol except that alcohol is easily detected by the distinctive odor on one's breath. Unless a person has just smoked marijuana and the smell is on their clothing only a trained observer would recognize the symptoms of it's use. One joint can affect a persons performance for four hours or more. Now that it's being legalized people are not only smoking it they are also using the extracts in foods that make it almost impossible to detect by the non-trained observer. It's seems obvious to me the 25% that are not concerned at all are those using marijuana and 23% somewhat concerned are either ill informed or also using it. People in safety sensitive positions, CDL truck drivers, pilots, police officers and others are required to be in a drug and alcohol program, as work force injuries begin to go up, and they will, many more industries will have to implement these programs. Even medical marijuana is a joke, people with any ailments can now get a medical marijuana card or if you know the right doctor, you can pay to get one. We've all seen the effects of drugs in drivers by the number of fatalities on our highways, drugged drivers are almost equal to the number of drunk drivers. As a diesel mechanic in Detroit in the early seventies I witnessed first hand the effects of someone stoned at work when I was asked look at a vehicle that was leaking oil that had just been repaired by the shift that had just left when I came on duty. The mechanic, a known pot smoker, had removed an oil pan to replace the gasket but failed to put the new gasket on and then filled the truck with oil but never ran it. Had the company who came to pick up the truck not noticed the oil leakage and left they would have destroyed the engine or worse, may have caused a serious accident. Since the seventies the THC content in marijuana, not to mention what it may be laced with, is much higher today. Only the ignorant or the users would disagree that marijuana in the work place is not a danger to society.

Since 2009 we have had 3 major accidents in which one employee hurt another employee they were working with. The three employees that caused the major life changing accidents were marijuana users that had not been caught by random testing.

Drugs of any source should never be used in the workplace. We have no way of knowing when a person uses...it could be five minutes before he/she walks in the door to start work. At that point, it's too late to consider fit for work or not. That same person may have driven to work impaired and passed the same bus your child was riding on!. Our company has zero drug tolerance due to the nature of the work. I totally agree with this. With that being said, and having an adult paralyzed son, I do see the medical use of marijuana as beneficial, especially in muscle spasm situations.

The legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes could potentially reduce the opiate problem which is a major concern and growing problem in the United States. THC extraction to pill/capsule form (in personal opinion) would be the preferred method of prescription administration by registered medical professionals.

Dope equals impairment equals compromised safety!

My concern is an employee being under the influence of marijuana while on and off the job. I work in the rail industry and trains do not forgive. Additionally, operating motor vehicles, machinery, hand and power tools and equipment in the workplace is a hazard not only to the individual, but to me and others around them. Marijuana in the workplace slows reactions and thought processes. It has NO business being in the work place.

I am the Driver and Safety Coordinator for a growing ice cream manufacturer in Wisconsin. We have quite the drinking culture here, so it has always been a priority of ours to ensure that none of our employees shows up to work intoxicated and we have a zero-tolerance policy in place as part of our safety program. That being said, the only employees we drug test are our CDL drivers and only because we are required to by the DOT. What our employees do in their free time is their business, not ours. We are in business to make money and manufacture the highest quality product we can, not make moral judgments about what our employees choose to do when they're not on the clock. So long as their habits do not affect overall safety, our business, or their job performance, we as a company choose not to engage in such discriminatory practices. I personally view marijuana as being no different than alcohol. It is an intoxicant that does not belong in the workplace but is the choice of the individual to imbibe in their free time. And as far as the "gateway drug" comments I've seen here so far, marijuana is no more a gateway drug than alcohol or nicotine. There are many other factors involved in the escalation of drug use by an individual that are rarely discussed in the "gateway drug" conversation.

I am somewhat concerned because I am afraid most of our workers; good employees, have used marijuana for sometime without any real side effects. As far as I know none of our accidents are the result of marijuana use. The employees that have attendance problems or don't pan out have much greater problems than marijuana use so I don't see where there will be a huge impact if it is made legal. We already have a Drug and Alcohol policy that says they can not be used on the job or during work hours so legal marijuana will be no different then legal alcohol.

Hopefully employer rules and regulations plus local, state and federal laws will continue to prohibit the use of such substances. Also "specialized" job duties that already have stringent requirements for personnel to be clean and sober, such as CDL operators, school bus drivers, airplane pilots, etc. should continue to have strict requirements with prescribed procedures that have to be followed in the event of a crash or violation. Use of extracts for legitimate medical needs that do not impair function or judgement should be allowed, but employers need to be aware of employees' use of such substances so that results of random testing can be taken in context of the actual chemical used.

Reading through the comments and I'm surprised to see the term "safety sensitive" and non-safety sensitive" a lot. I thought every person in a company has a safety sensitive job. Who wants a recordable injury? Who is ok with someone being hurt? The debate of impairment and moral compasses can rage on. But the bottom line is safety in the workplace is a part of doing business. And reducing risk is the name of the game. Is allowing an illegal substance increasing or decreasing the risk? I can say from where I stand, marijuana is not decreasing risk. It's not allowed in my company. I'll focus my time, energy and cost to reducing risk and creating a workforce that betters the company and community.

I am very worried about the potential dangers to my workers , if / when marijuana becomes legal. To my mind, it equates to telling my workers that it is OK to come to work drunk or drink on the job site. I worry that the injury / death rates will sky rocket.

I'm very concerned about the effect legalization of marijuana will have on workplace safety. I'm not very concerned about the health effects of smoking marijuana, or about the morality of using or not using the substance. And occasional use on the weekend or holiday by itself would probably not cause much problem. With easy access comes cheaper access and with cheaper access comes more chronic high level use. Chronic users of marijuana do not necessarily feel the effect of low levels of THC in their systems even if that level is high enough to provide some physical or mental impairment. With alcohol, this is fairly easy to for an observer to identify. With marijuana it is not. This is where the danger lies. In safety, drug testing is like an incident investigation, it doesn't really prevent the accident, it only tells you why it occurred after the fact unless you have frequent random sampling. Many have stated the obvious difficulty in determining if someone is high or under the influence of marijuana. Therefore to provide safety companies will have to have much more costly drug testing programs and the tests that are needed are not yet developed. As the substance is legalized companies that rely on temporary workers, or low skilled labor will have difficulty finding appropriate labor if they do not weaken zero tolerance policies with regard to marijuana use. Ergo, many will change those policies to stay in business. Worse, I can easily see the courts siding with an employee that claims wrongful termination simply because he tested positive using current testing methods even though he was not under the influence. Where does that leave companies? Since we cannot necessarily tell before an incident if someone is at greater risk due to low level intoxication our incident risk will rise. Anything that introduces more risk into the workplace should be of great concern to safety professionals.

Let them legalize it. I hope it is taxed high enough to cover the heartache it may bring on some users. We will still be testing employees just as with alcohol but with more frequent positive tests.

It isn't even legal yet where I live. My workplace is already like highschool. You have cliques, bulling. People coming to work drunk, or sneaking out drinking. When no bosses around smoking dabs while driving around on forklifts. We had one pass out on the forklift with it still running. Another taking dick picks on the forklift. As long as it's a little crash and they don't do too much damage their friends will cover for them. Groups taking turns taking breaks when its not break time. While bulling individuals into doing their work. And if you report it to management, they inturn will inform the other employees and you become public enemy number one. You know they already know. Yet his company makes such a big deal about safety, shoes and glasses. Yeah it has a good rating on reviews on places to work. Some people love working there because they can do what they like. It's so rediculous. Somebody will end up seriously hurt or dead. Which is one of the many reason I'm job hunting. When they end up getting sued and paying out. Maybe they will change.