Jacob Redmond
Well-Known Member
Business owners, as well as Ohio voters, are considering the possible impact of legalizing marijuana in Ohio.
It seems likely that at least one, perhaps more than one, legalization proposal could be on the ballot this fall.
Jergens Inc. is a well-known Cleveland firm manufacturing products that lift, hold and fasten.
Owner Jack Schron is also a Cuyahoga County Council member.
On Thursday he joined a group of business people and experts gathered at a Greater Cleveland Partnership meeting to discuss if legal marijuana could impair companies and their operation.'
"We have a drug-free work place. We do drug test employees because, if you're working on a machine, we want to make sure the person working next to you is not under the influence of anything," he said.
Jergens is required to maintain a drug-free work place because it does business with the federal government and marijuana remains illegal under federal law.
Businesses worry about having to deal with conflicting state and federal regulations.
The group Responsible Ohio has the proposal that seems most likely to make the ballot. Its plan allows for both medical and recreational use.
It's collecting signatures now.
Its Executive Director Ian James said the group's proposal protects companies' rights and does not guarantee marijuana users employment..
"If you want to have a drug-free work place, and you want to have a zero tolerance policy, you have the right to maintain that," he said.
But Tony Coder, of the Drug Free Alliance, said vague language in the proposal gives marijuana users with medical certificates the right to use marijuana as if its any other prescription medication.
Could that include usage before coming to work or even on the job?
"They should definitely be nervous about it...How does a business protect themselves...to really make sure they have workers who are productive and not impaired?" he said.
Legalized marijuana will mean more marijuana-based products, like candy and beverages, that will be harder to detect than an odor from smoking.
Some asked if drug tests that detect usage but not impairment should disqualify users from impairment.
Wil Hemker, of the University of Akron's Research Foundation, said different and better tests would be more helpful to employers and fairer to prospective workers.
The audience also heard from Dr. Ewald Horwath, of MetroHealth's Psychiatry Department.
He explained that there is little hard evidence that marijuana actually benefits those using it for pain, arthritis and many other conditions.
He mentioned a 2013 crane accident in Philadelphia as a dramatic example of a worker using marijuana causing tragedy.
The operator was high on marijuana on the job. Six people were killed.
Responsible Ohio argues that polls show public opinion is swinging toward legalization, calling it "inevitable."
Appealing to business people's bottom-line focus, it argues Ohio's laws do not work and "$120 million a year is spent to enforce failure," James said.
The Greater Cleveland Partnership is deciding whether to take a position on any legal marijuana proposal.
It surveyed members attending the briefing.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Business owners learn how legal "weed" could impact them
Author: Tom Beres
Contact: WKYC Station History | Cleveland, Ohio | WKYC.com
Photo Credit: None Found
Website: Cleveland news, weather and traffic | Cleveland, Ohio | WKYC.com
It seems likely that at least one, perhaps more than one, legalization proposal could be on the ballot this fall.
Jergens Inc. is a well-known Cleveland firm manufacturing products that lift, hold and fasten.
Owner Jack Schron is also a Cuyahoga County Council member.
On Thursday he joined a group of business people and experts gathered at a Greater Cleveland Partnership meeting to discuss if legal marijuana could impair companies and their operation.'
"We have a drug-free work place. We do drug test employees because, if you're working on a machine, we want to make sure the person working next to you is not under the influence of anything," he said.
Jergens is required to maintain a drug-free work place because it does business with the federal government and marijuana remains illegal under federal law.
Businesses worry about having to deal with conflicting state and federal regulations.
The group Responsible Ohio has the proposal that seems most likely to make the ballot. Its plan allows for both medical and recreational use.
It's collecting signatures now.
Its Executive Director Ian James said the group's proposal protects companies' rights and does not guarantee marijuana users employment..
"If you want to have a drug-free work place, and you want to have a zero tolerance policy, you have the right to maintain that," he said.
But Tony Coder, of the Drug Free Alliance, said vague language in the proposal gives marijuana users with medical certificates the right to use marijuana as if its any other prescription medication.
Could that include usage before coming to work or even on the job?
"They should definitely be nervous about it...How does a business protect themselves...to really make sure they have workers who are productive and not impaired?" he said.
Legalized marijuana will mean more marijuana-based products, like candy and beverages, that will be harder to detect than an odor from smoking.
Some asked if drug tests that detect usage but not impairment should disqualify users from impairment.
Wil Hemker, of the University of Akron's Research Foundation, said different and better tests would be more helpful to employers and fairer to prospective workers.
The audience also heard from Dr. Ewald Horwath, of MetroHealth's Psychiatry Department.
He explained that there is little hard evidence that marijuana actually benefits those using it for pain, arthritis and many other conditions.
He mentioned a 2013 crane accident in Philadelphia as a dramatic example of a worker using marijuana causing tragedy.
The operator was high on marijuana on the job. Six people were killed.
Responsible Ohio argues that polls show public opinion is swinging toward legalization, calling it "inevitable."
Appealing to business people's bottom-line focus, it argues Ohio's laws do not work and "$120 million a year is spent to enforce failure," James said.
The Greater Cleveland Partnership is deciding whether to take a position on any legal marijuana proposal.
It surveyed members attending the briefing.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Business owners learn how legal "weed" could impact them
Author: Tom Beres
Contact: WKYC Station History | Cleveland, Ohio | WKYC.com
Photo Credit: None Found
Website: Cleveland news, weather and traffic | Cleveland, Ohio | WKYC.com
