Medical marijuana is fully legal in Louisiana. Actually Louisiana has one of the more progressive medical marijuana programs in the country. California is often credited with being the first state to legalize medical marijuana during the AIDS crisis but actually Louisiana was the first state. Louisiana’s marijuana program is very robust and is even expanding to incorporate raw marijuana flower by 2022!
But even if the progressive medical marijuana program that Louisiana has, many are still wondering, can medical marijuana put my job at risk?
At Louisiana Marijuana Card, we are committed to not only being your number one medical marijuana card provider but also to give all the information you need to make the best health and wellness plans for you. This includes giving you information about how marijuana-use, even if it is used medically, can impact your employment.
Can Medical Marijuana Use Put my Job at Risk?
Many people in Louisiana ask this question to see if having a medical marijuana card changes anything. So can medical marijuana use put your job at risk? Unfortunately, yes and here is why.
Federally marijuana is still classified as a Schedule I drug. Schedule I drugs are reserved to drugs that have a high potential for abuse and a low potential for medicinal use. For example, heroin is a Schedule I drug. There are a lot of politics behind the reason why marijuana was scheduled in the wrong classification. We know this is wrong since marijuana is not addictive and also has medicinal properties but this scheduling still affects how marijuana is viewed federally.
Since marijuana is classified as a Schedule I drug, it is federally illegal. This is why a medical marijuana card unfortunately does not protect you from being fired due to marijuana use.
There are some states that have measures to protect medical marijuana users and some companies have even seen lawsuits because of it. But unfortunately, Louisiana is not one of those states that have protections for medical marijuana users.
So what does this mean?
If you are a medical marijuana user and you are currently employed, you must check the rules at your workplace. Different companies have different rules. Some drug test regularly while others don’t at all. Typically a company handbook would have information regarding drug policies. At the end of the day, it is within your employers hands.
Many companies do have anti-drug policies. This is due to the expectation to maintain a drug-free workplace as a condition of working with the federal government under the Drug-Free Workplace Act. This expectation is why employers often stay clear of allowing employees to use marijuana whether it is for medical purposes or not.
Since marijuana is federally illegal, there are not a lot of protections that medical patients are awarded. Although there is one major protection. With a medical marijuana card patients have “affirmative defense” which grants permission to possess, transport and use marijuana as directed by a licensed physician. Other than affirmative defense, medical marijuana patients do not have nearly as many rights as traditional prescription medication patients have.
If you are concerned about a potential employment issue, feel free to call our compassionate patient support staff to have all your questions answered!
Doctors Who Care. Relief You Can Trust.
At Louisiana Marijuana Card, our mission is helping everyone achieve wellness safely and conveniently through increased access to medical marijuana. Our focus on education, inclusion, and acceptance will reduce stigma for our patients by providing equal access to timely information and compassionate care.
Call us at (833) 253-2943, or simply book a medical marijuana evaluation to start getting relief you can trust today!
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