WV manufacturers are trying to find a balance on the issue of marijuana legalization

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Charleston, W.F.; As American society slowly moves toward the idea of ​​marijuana legalization, manufacturers are trying to find a delicate balance.

Medical marijuana has been legalized in West Virginia, but in other states the recreational pot has also been removed and it appears that from moving forward there is less and less opposition to the idea. The US House of Representatives voted 220-204 in favor of legislation to decriminalize marijuana at the national level; West Virginia Representatives David McKinley, Alex Mooney, and Carol Miller opposed the measure.

Employers who currently require drug tests as a condition of employment are trying to determine where their rules and regulations will stand in a society where the practice of marijuana use is more and more acceptable.

“As discussions continue around the legalization of recreational marijuana as well as the increased use of medicinal use, we are challenged as to what these effects will be on our workforce,” said Rebecca McPhail, president of the West Virginia Manufacturers Association.

Speaking on MetroNews “Talkline,” McPhail said that for many members of her organization, there is a difficult dilemma. On the other hand, the use of marijuana is becoming more common and more acceptable in society, but there is still a problem of workplace weakness and safety that its members have to balance.

“When it comes to testing, marijuana is either in your system or it is not. It is different with alcohol where there are tests for levels of vulnerability,” she said.

Congress is considering a bill this week to remove marijuana from the federal list of prohibited drugs. What issues would arise if marijuana use increased in the workplace? Rebecca McPhail, President of the WV Manufacturers Association, gives her opinion on Tweet embed. pic.twitter.com/4ZpWVs6tEB

– Metro News (@WVMetroNews) March 31, 2022

According to McPhail, there are tough questions that need to be answered about what level of vulnerability is considered acceptable and what is unacceptable in the future.

“This is not an up or down on whether or not marijuana should be legal, but how we deal with it as it becomes more and more popular in society,” she said.

Pot use is already a problem for employment, particularly in safety-sensitive jobs. McPhail said it’s common for her members to hire new workers who refuse to show up when they realize the job will require regular drug testing as a condition of employment. Others who attend are often excluded with a positive drug test.