The drug screening industry continues to change and with at least 33 states allowing medical use of marijuana and 11 of those states allowing recreational use, new laws can create complications within the healthcare field. The most common pre-employment screening identifies five substances, but many healthcare employers often use a more expansive 10-Panel Drug Screen. Five new state laws are impacting drug testing for healthcare employees. Illinois’ “Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act” authorized the personal legal use of marijuana for anyone over the age of 21. Nevada became the first state to prohibit employers from refusing to hire a prospective employee solely due to a positive drug test for marijuana. In New Jersey, the medical marijuana law was amended to prohibit employment discrimination against medical marijuana users. The New York City Council passed an ordinance that prohibits employers form requiring job applicants to submit a drug test for the active ingredient in marijuana and Oklahoma has expanded its new protections for marijuana use, prohibiting employers from discriminating against an employee or applicant solely on the basis of a person’s status as a medical marijuana licensee.
