When the Law Says Using Marijuana Is O.K., but the Boss Disagrees

Smoking pot cost Kimberly Cue her job.

Ms. Cue, a 44-year-old chemical engineer from Silicon Valley, received an offer this year from a medical device manufacturer only to have it rescinded when the company found out that she smoked prescription marijuana to treat post-traumatic stress disorder.

“My email was set up with the company,” she said. “My business cards were printed.” But after a pre-employment drug test came back positive for marijuana, a human resources representative told her the job was no longer hers.

“I’ve lost all confidence in the process,” said Ms. Cue, who ultimately took a different job, at 20 percent less pay. “I’m so frustrated and so irritated. I should be able to be upfront and honest with my employer.”

The relatively rapid acceptance of marijuana use in the United States has forced lawmakers and employers to grapple with how to adapt. Last month, Nevada passed a bill prohibiting the denial of employment based on a positive test for marijuana. In Maine, employers may not discriminate against people who have used cannabis, but state law does not specifically regulate drug testing. [Read more at The New York Times]