pressofatlanticcity.com: Drug use legal issues a complicated problem for N.J. employers, workers
5/17/2018
MAYS LANDING — As more New Jerseyans fall victim to the opioid epidemic, participate in the state’s medical marijuana program and look to tap into the legalization of recreational marijuana in the near future, workplace legal issues are bound to complicate things, experts say.
National employment attorneys, state drug experts and representatives of local prevention organizations said Wednesday that drugs and medications, even those that can be prescribed legally, pose problems to the state’s employers and workforce as laws and policies remain in a gray area.
“We know that about 70 percent of people who abuse substances are employed,” said Angelo Valente, executive director of Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey. “Because that can have a harmful effect, it’s paramount that businesses have plans in place to maintain a drug-free workplace.”