States Legalizing Marijuana Increasing
More Companies Stopping Drug Testing Trends
The proportion of American workers testing positive for marijuana was 4.3%, marking the highest level in 25 years.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 18th (local time), citing statistics from Quest Diagnostics, a leading drug testing laboratory in the United States, that "in a drug test conducted last year on 6 million employees across various companies in the U.S., the positive rate for marijuana was 4.3%." This is the highest figure since 1997.
By occupation, the highest positive rate was in sectors providing lodging and food services, reaching the 8% range. Additionally, retail and transportation sectors also showed positive rates higher than the average.
This high rate is analyzed to be influenced by the expanding legalization of marijuana. As of April this year, marijuana use is legal in 22 states including Virginia, California, and Arizona, as well as Washington D.C. and the U.S. territory of Guam. Medical marijuana is legalized in 38 states and D.C.
Of course, since marijuana can be detected in tests for several weeks after use, a positive test does not necessarily mean the individual used it at work. However, workplace accidents involving employees who tested positive for marijuana are gradually increasing. Last year, 7.3% of workers who received treatment for workplace accidents tested positive for marijuana, a 9% increase from the previous year.
Under federal law, employees working in transportation, construction, logistics, healthcare, and government agencies in the U.S. are required to undergo drug testing. However, due to labor shortages, resistance to drug testing, and changes in cultural norms, more companies are discontinuing marijuana testing.
In fact, the National Basketball Association (NBA) is currently discussing a collective bargaining agreement between the league and the players' union to remove marijuana from the list of banned substances. Although not yet finalized, starting in July, the NBA is expected to stop random testing for marijuana use among players. Amazon has also stopped marijuana testing during hiring, except for certain positions such as transportation that are mandated by federal law.
According to a survey released last year by the Pew Research Center, only one in ten American adults opposed the legalization of marijuana use.
However, while the perception that marijuana is not harmful is spreading, experts warn about the side effects when adolescents are exposed to it. A report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) pointed out that "adolescents who use marijuana are two to three times more likely to experience depression or suicidal thoughts compared to those who do not."
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