Although marijuana is legal in some states, there is still lots of debate regarding its use, especially when it comes to the workplace and drug tests. Marijuana laws across the United States create a varied tapestry, with significant differences state-to-state.
In general, support for marijuana legalization has increased over the last several decades. In fact, only 12% of Americans supported legalized marijuana in 1969, whereas 70% of Americans reported support for legalized marijuana in 2023. State laws have reflected this trend; currently, more than half of the US population lives in a state with legalized recreational marijuana.
Marijuana is common in the workplace. In fact, nearly half of users in legalized states admit to using marijuana at or before work. 73% of users report that going to work high improves their work performance.
Currently, 48% of employers do not run marijuana tests in the pre-hire process. Some states have even outlawed pre-employment marijuana tests. In Nevada, for example, pre-employment marijuana tests are only legal for safety-sensitive positions, like firefighters, professional vehicle operators and emergency medical technicians.
As marijuana usage continues to change, the laws regarding the drug will also change. Keeping an eye out for changes to state laws is important to staying informed.
Source: US Drug Test Centers
