Pubdate: Fri, 02 Apr 2010
Source: Daily Evergreen, The (Washington State U, WA Edu)
Copyright: 2010 WSU Student Publications Board
Contact:  http://www.dailyevergreen.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2843
Author: Alex Gratzer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

RESPECT MEDICAL MARIJUANA

Wal-Mart fails to honor Michigan's marijuana law, fires terminally-ill man

Wal-Mart recently fired one of its employees, Joseph  Casias, after a 
drug test proved positive for marijuana  use.

In Michigan, where Casias lives, it is legal to be  prescribed 
medical marijuana, which Casias has been  using to cope with his 
sinus cancer and brain tumor  since last June.

A medical marijuana license is supposed to keep people  who were 
authorized to carry it from being arrested,  but nobody ever 
mentioned they can still be fired.

Casias shows up to work every day despite having a  terminal illness, 
which could take his life at any  moment, and just because he smokes 
a little dope to  alleviate the excruciating pain, he is fired. Thank 
you, Wal-Mart, for again demonstrating such  level-headed values.

I find it more than a little unreasonable that  employers still have 
the authority to fire employees  for marijuana use in a state where 
medical marijuana is  legal.

"We're sympathetic to Mr. Casias' condition, but like  other 
companies, we have to consider the overall safety  of our customers 
and our associates, including Mr.  Casias when making a difficult 
decision like this,"  Wal-Mart spokesman Greg Rossiter said.

I am also sympathetic to Casias' condition, which is  why I probably 
would not fire him from the job that  paid for the medicine needed to 
keep him functional in  the face of such an illness.

Marijuana receives an unbelievably bad rap. It is the  quintessential 
unspoken thing that everyone does, but  nobody wants to admit. The 
hypocritical mini-van  driving moms of the world love to label it as 
"evil,"  when really the gin and tonic that gets them 
through  daycare is more dangerous.

The criminalization of marijuana use is one of those  silly American 
laws, similar to the 21-year-old  drinking age, or the ban of gay 
marriage, in that  nobody has a legitimate excuse for its existence.

Now that 14 states have marginally come to their senses  in 
supporting medical marijuana, there is still the  issue of employers 
not respecting the state law. Just  as it would be wrong to fire 
someone for taking  prescription medication, it should be wrong to 
fire someone for taking prescribed medical marijuana.

That Wal-Mart even has drug tests is an issue of  concern. 
Personally, I think free weed should be given  to employees to get 
them through the work day.

To be fair, I do not think companies should give up  their right to 
drug test. However, testing positive on  marijuana use is hardly a 
cause for concern. Marijuana  is virtually the safest "drug" anyone 
can take. A  company should not have the right to punish someone for 
doing what their doctor prescribed -- this is not only  cruel, but 
irresponsible.

The question is whether companies would still fire  people for 
testing positive on drug tests if marijuana  were to become legal, 
and not just for medical  purposes. My guess is there would be a 
Great Depression-level epidemic of unemployment. It is time  for 
America to face the facts -- marijuana is here to  stay.

You know what they say -- a bowl a day keeps the doctor  away.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom