The nation is undergoing some major changes right now, and not just politically. Not only did voters have to choose a new President, but many states also voted on whether or not to legalize the use of recreational marijuana.
On November 8th, five states voted “yes” or “no” to recreational cannabis. The states who have recently joined Colorado, Washington, Alaska and Oregon, where it was already legal, are California, Maine, Massachusetts and Nevada. Arizona was the only state with this topic on their ballots that for now voted “no”.

There are also 28 states and Washington D.C. who have legalized the medicinal use of marijuana. With the tide rapidly turning as it relates to the use of marijuana, employers are charting new waters while putting new drug policies in place or updating existing policies. Companies have several things to consider as they work to ensure they are covering all of their bases.
Update Drug and Alcohol Policies Immediately
It’s generally good practice to regularly update your drug and alcohol policies. If you haven’t done it recently, you’ll want to do it immediately. There are a few things to keep in mind as you formulate your policy:
Be sure to clearly define what constitutes a “refusal to test”. Often times when employees are asked to comply with a drug test, they will attempt to delay it. Be sure that your policy is clear about consequences (most commonly termination) for failing to report to a testing site immediately.

Have effective post-accident/post-incident provisions. It can be difficult to deter