Is cannabis use the same as off-duty drinking by workers? Many companies still say no

An employee has a beer or two with colleagues at a local bar after the work shift is over. Another heads home for a glass of wine with dinner. The next day, there is no alcohol impairment in the worker, and that’s why an employer would not have a problem with either of these scenarios. But even in states where cannabis has been legalized, drug testing continues to search for signs of marijuana use that in no way necessarily reflects worker impairment.

THC, the active ingredient in cannabis, can linger in the body and show up in the screening process for up to 30 days after the immediate impairment of the user. Traditional THC screening cannot differentiate between actual impairment and presence due to past use of cannabis. Equating presence to impairment groups all individuals — those who use marijuana on a daily basis, for medical or recreational purposes, and those who sporadically do it — in the same category.

Backers of legalization say that is unfair and the world of work needs to adapt to changing societal norms regarding cannabis. [Read more at CNBC]