Under the influence: Marijuana in the workplace

marijuana plant

It’s 2022 and the world has evolved over the past 2 ½ years as we’ve weathered the COVID-19 pandemic and the everyday pressures of life. Marijuana legislation has continued to evolve as well and is now legal in numerous states across the US – for recreational and/or medicinal use. Is it time for employers to re-evaluate workplace drug testing for marijuana?

Absolutely.

The data speaks for itself

When you look over 5 years, positivity for marijuana in the general US workforce increased 50% (2.6% in 2017 vs 3.9% in 2021).[1] With the focus of employee wellness, workplace safety, and mitigating employer risk, these trends underscore the need to re-evaluate and reinforce the importance of workplace drug testing and its value.

When you consider industries like transportation, warehousing, and construction, for example, there is a safety concern that cannot be ignored. For instance, how would one feel about sharing the road with a truck driver who has used marijuana several hours before their road trip? Even more… how would an employer feel about that same driver taking to the road with their company’s name on the side of that truck? Considering your workplace safety and associated reputation, implementing a drug-free workplace program should not be a compromised decision.

The Drug Testing Savings Calculator takes the guess work out of trying to determine a precise return on investment for drug testing. The key to a good ROI calculation is to keep it simple, user-friendly, and quick. Our tool accomplishes all 3 of these objectives.

Discover how Quest brings you value

As you pause to consider marijuana use – legal or not – and how it may impact your business, Quest Diagnostics Employer Solutions is ready to support you with rigorous drug screening options built to deliver the confidence your industry and reputation demand. 

Explore how marijuana is impacting the workplace in this recent article from Safety + Health [The importance of workplace drug testing | 2022-08-16 | Safety+Health (safetyandhealthmagazine.com) ]

Continue to follow our blog as we take a deeper dive in our next issue about marijuana use and the evolving impact on the workplace. We’ll discuss hot topics you need to know as your company strives to maintain a reputation as a safe, productive, and desirable place to work.

Visit Quest Diagnostics Employer Solutions to learn more about our drug-free workplace solutions.

Contact us online and let’s talk drug testing.

Learn how workforce drug trends are impacting specific industries.


[1] Quest Diagnostics Employer Solutions. Drug Testing Index | Quest Diagnostics