History has been made in the U.S. following the passing of laws in both Colorado and Washington, which legalize both medicinal and recreational use of marijuana. In Australia, drug use remains illegal in all states and territories, and therein lies the issue for employers. The use of marijuana by employees has ramifications for the workplace in a number of ways. Drug testing is essential to ensure the safety of workers, but according to a new report, current testing practices are inefficient and often lead to workers simply changing drugs or avoiding reporting incidents. National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction deputy director Ken Pidd said there is currently little evidence to support the view that current testing practices are effective and the central issue is that workers routinely change their consumption patterns or drug types to avoid detection. Yet drug testing is in many ways a reactive response rather than proactive response. Pidd urges employers to utilize high quality education and training programs, which help develop a workplace conducive to health and safety.
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