Employers in Missouri begin changing rules as recreational marijuana becomes available in Missouri soon
Employment attorney says you can still get fired for using weed at work.
Employment attorney says you can still get fired for using weed at work.
Employment attorney says you can still get fired for using weed at work.
With recreational marijuana sales in Missouri beginning as soon as Friday, an employment attorney said some companies are changing their rules about the drug to reflect its legality.
However, Jake Miller said you can still get fired for using marijuana at work or being under the influence of it on the job.
“Doctor Smoke” sells federally protected products derived from hemp instead of cannabis.
But many of those products still contain Delta 9, a different kind of the active drug THC found in marijuana.
“Doctor Smoke” owner J.C. Cirese said some customers want products without THC because some employers test for it.
“We do have products that do give you the same relief as cannabis that can’t be detected as THC in the system. So, there is a molecule called HHC, which is a beautiful molecule that gives you the similar relief to Delta 9 THC but is not detectable. So that's an alternative,” he said.
Miller said the best employment protection is to have a Missouri medical marijuana card.
“It's medicinal, whether it's being recreationally used or not, it's going to be treated as such. Just like any amount of wine or anything else,” said Stephen Michael Cunningham, a “Doctor Smoke” customer.
“If you have a medical card, I don't think it will impact much. Really, I don't. And it just depends on your job,” said Sharon Oakman, a “Doctor Smoke” customer.
However, Miller said one issue is how Kansas employers will treat Missouri residents with a medical marijuana card.
Marijuana isn’t legal in Kansas.
Miller said Missouri residents who have a medical marijuana card and work in Kansas should talk to their employers.
He said another problem is because THC can be detected in the body long after its use, someone who tests positive for the drug may not have been under its influence while on the job.
“There’s not a lot of case law on this issue,” Miller said.