Leading national cannabis advocacy organization pushes Bay State laws related to employment discrimination and extreme potency limits
While you were out enjoying high-potency tinctures, at least one Massachusetts lawmaker was plotting to pry them from your cold arthritic fingers. At the same time, on a much more encouraging note, other Beacon Hill legislators introduced a separate measure to stop employers from targeting cannabis users. NORML is calling attention to both bills …
MA H159 Prohibiting employment discrimination based on legal use of cannabis
This legislation “aims to protect workers who use cannabis legally while still allowing employers to maintain workplace safety standards.”
Primarily, the “bill seeks to prohibit employment discrimination against individuals based on their legal use of cannabis by amending Massachusetts state law. The bill defines a “safety sensitive position” as a job where impairment could potentially cause immediate and permanent physical injury or loss of life. Under the proposed legislation, employers would be prohibited from refusing to hire, firing, or discriminating against an employee solely because of the presence of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or marijuana metabolites in their bodily samples.”
The legislation also “allows employers to take action only if there is reasonable suspicion that an employee was impaired at work, and provides a defense for employers if the presence of cannabis prevents an employee from maintaining necessary job-related licenses or credentials. Importantly, the anti-discrimination protections do not apply to safety sensitive positions or in situations where compliance would violate federal law, regulations, contracts, or funding agreements.”
NORML writes:
If passed, this bill would make it illegal for a business to refuse employment or to fire someone who consumes cannabis during their non-working hours.
According to an exhaustive review by the US National Academy of Sciences, “There is no evidence to support a statistical association between cannabis use and occupational accidents or injuries.”
Those who consume conventional medications or alcohol legally and responsibly while off the job do not suffer sanctions from their employers unless their work performance is adversely impacted. Employers should treat those who consume cannabis while away from the workplace in a similar manner.
You can sign the NORML petition here.
MA H191 Relative to limiting the potency of THC products
This bill “proposes significant restrictions on the potency and composition of recreational marijuana products in Massachusetts. Specifically, it sets strict limits on THC (tetrahydrocannabinol, the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis) content across different product types, including a maximum of 30% THC for marijuana flower and concentrated products intended for inhalation. The bill mandates that marijuana concentrates be limited to 5mg THC per metered serving, require clear measurement and dosing guidelines, and cap package sizes at 20 servings.
Additionally, “the legislation prohibits marijuana products with added sweeteners, characterizing flavors designed for inhalation, non-cannabis-derived substances that alter product properties, and liquid products exceeding 5mg THC per container. The bill also bans any components designed to enhance the intoxicating effects of marijuana products, reflecting a comprehensive approach to regulating cannabis potency and reducing potential appeal to younger consumers or those seeking more intense psychoactive experiences.”
NORML writes:
Like alcohol, marijuana comes in an array of different potencies. Typically, when consumers encounter higher potency products, they ingest smaller quantities of them.
Prohibiting adults from accessing products with more than 30 percent THC from state-licensed retailers will not eliminate consumers’ demand for them. Rather, it will encourage consumers to seek out these products in the unregulated market. It will also move the production of these products exclusively underground – thereby undermining the primary goal of legalization, which is to provide adults with safe, affordable, above-ground access to lab-tested products of known purity, potency, and quality.
You can sign the NORML petition here.
