HOW CAN MARIJUANA USE IMPACT ON MY JOB PERFORMANCE?
Marijuana and its safe use has been a topic of discussion in many states. Others have even decided to legalize it. People have many reasons of consuming cannabis and the major one being for medical reasons. But there are those that consume it as they go to work and it will automatically spark confusion. The modern businesses have to grapple to coexist with use of cannabis and office work. It is not an easy task or an easy way to work with people taking marijuana because of its min altering effects. Marijuana works in mysterious ways that need to be understood.
We cannot compare it with alcohol consumption because it stays in the body for days and even weeks. You can be sure of testing positive of marijuana when you go to your work place and undergo a drug test. In a state that has legalized marijuana use, people will still use it even when they go to their work places. The only difference here is the policies that exist in those work places. Some people will get medical evaluations and buy the higher strains of the drug but when you go to work and test positive of the drug, then you can be sue of getting yourself into trouble.
Cannabis regulation in states that legalize it will come down majorly to companies and businesses. The push and pull comes in when a company won’t allow any drug use during working hours, the misunderstanding then arises between the company policies and the company policies which should be followed to the letter. The federal confusion comes in also and adds more confusion.
The federal law puts cannabis under the category of schedule-1 substances. You need to be education about cannabis use in work places and know how it is going to affect your performance.
Also read: WHY SHOULD WORKING MOMS CONSIER 420 EVALUATIONS IN LOS ANGELS?
What does research say?
A recent study done and published in a journal name Group and Organizational Management said that cannabis is safe for use. It does not have any effects on your performance when you use it after work hours. They came to this agreement have they did a survey on individuals that used it after, before, and during work hours. The authors of the research also noticed that there were strict measures in work places regarding drug use. Some work places though are not strict on it.
Top of the list that was being examined was the ability to complete a task given, performing of assignments and team work. The test had 281 employees and they were measured against time and the frequency of cannabis use. The findings turned out better than expected. The use of marijuana before or even during work hours did not affect the way employees worked.
Over time, people have always taken cannabis users as not being the best employees to have. Many other stigmas are always associated with the drug but this one always raises many questions. Cannabis comes in various forms and it is good to note that not all forms are harmful or affect the way a person does his/her work. Its effects are adverse if you overdose yourself and start the hallucinations. At that point, you can be sure that your work will not be productive.
Other than the negative publicity that comes with the drug, people tend to take cannabis because of medical advantages. Marijuana on the other hand could be assisting some people to relax there day off after work. That means that an employee would be taking the drug to relax all night so that when he/she wakes up the next day, the mind is fresh to deal with the day ahead.
Can Marijuana improve your job performance?
It’s good to understand that cannabis has therapeutic benefits. That’s why more and more people are turning to using it so that they get that relaxing feeling from the stress of work. The relaxing properties that come with the drug are attracting more people to it.
There is another study that was done by an SDSU professor and one of the authors suggested that some forms of cannabis can really be helpful during work as they will improve your performance. With it, they will be able to focus on the positive side rather than dwelling with the negative stresses that he/she might have come across during the day. The relaxing properties also help them calm down, restore their lost energy. That means that they can return to work with more energy and better positivity. The only problem with this sturdy is that it did not have scientific evidence to back its findings.
What’s more?
Organizations and companies that believe cannabis will affect how their employees will work will find it difficult to cope with. What we don’t have as at now is if cannabis will compromise the effectiveness of an employee. The purpose of this research is also to question the usefulness of the drug screening tests that are done to employees when they report to some work stations. We are all human beings and it is right to note there are some that will be fired form work because of testing positive of marijuana or cannabis. They will feel discriminated. This is why the policies that are put against the use of cannabis should be amended. This will be geared towards bringing harmony to those that use the drug after or before work. Some companies have even adapted to allowing some patients take cannabis during work hours. This is a good sign that workplaces need to adapt to the new changes and needs that are arising.
The Law stands against cannabis use in work places
As we have seen, research will favor the users of cannabis. But the deal is sweeter than its implementation. There is a roadblock ahead. The law has given companies and businesses the powers of firing employees that will test positive of drug use. Under schedule-1 of federal laws, cannabis has not been left behind but qualifies as a drug. So, what does that mean? I think you have the answer there.
An example we can give is from Colorado where cannabis is legalized for use in both recreational and medical reasons. The Supreme Court on the other hand did not heed to that because it ruled out that employers can go ahead and suspend employees that will consume recreational and medicinal cannabis. This ruling arose because still, under the federal laws, marijuana remains illegal. That said, then it remains that even if you use cannabis for medical reasons, you won’t be safe either because the likelihood for being fired is 100%, you only pray that the test comes in your favor.
To wrap this up, you need to know that the law always has 2 sides that should be well understood. For instance, you can live in state that permits you to use cannabis, but use of cannabis during working hours will be illegal. Remember that when you use cannabis, it has the ability to stay in your system for weeks and months. That means that you will test positive for cannabis use even if you have used it for medical reasons, even several weeks after usage.
Do you need a medical marijuana card?
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