Pubdate: Fri, 01 May 2015
Source: Dayton Daily News (OH)
Copyright: 2015 Dayton Daily News
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/7JXk4H3l
Website: http://www.daytondailynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/120
Author: Steve Bennish

POT'S STATUS CONCERNS BUSINESS

Chamber Members Go to Columbus to Talk Over the Issues.

COLUMBUS - There's increasing talk in business circles about the 
prospect of marijuana legalization in Ohio - particularly among 
employers wondering how they'll handle a larger pool of potential and 
current employees who could be under the influence.

Even pot legalization proponents admit there's no precise way to 
measure degrees of marijuana intoxication, unlike other drugs such as alcohol.

In states with a large manufacturing base, the employer's problem 
could boil down to who is fit to operate potentially dangerous 
production machinery and related equipment.

That's at least one key unknown for those attending the Dayton Area 
Chamber of Commerce's Legislative Day in Columbus on Thursday after 
listening to the opening salvos in what promises to be a highvolume 
debate this year between proponents and critics of legalization.

Twenty-three states and the District of Columbia legalized marijuana 
for medical purposes, and D.C. and four of the states also allow 
recreational use by adults.

Matt Owen, executive director of the Preble County Chamber of 
Commerce, is fielding questions from businesses in his county. He 
estimates a couple thousand manufacturing workers there.

"It's a huge concern," he said. "Someone partying over the weekend 
and returning to the factory floor. Would you regulate it like 
alcohol? No one is giving us much clarification."

Chris Kershner, vice president of public policy for the Dayton 
chamber, said similar concerns are coming from his organization's 
membership. The chamber as yet has not taken a stand on the issue of 
legalization, he added.

"There's no way to test impairment - or did you use marijuana over 
the weekend or two hours ago," he said. Employers "have to make sure 
safety and reliability are at the forefront."

Columbus attorney Jon Allison spoke for the Drug Free Action 
Alliance, and Ian James, executive director of Responsible Ohio, 
spoke for his group, which won approval from the Ohio Ballot Board in 
March to begin efforts to collect 305,591 valid voter signatures by 
July 1 to put an initiative on the November ballot.

James' response to the question of handling employees is that 
employers have some established legal standing to prohibit the use of 
certain substances. For example, Scotts Miracle-Gro's ban on employee 
tobacco smokers has withstood court challenges.

Allison said hiring managers are already finding it difficult to 
recruit employable people who can pass a drug screening. Adding 
marijuana use into the mix in a state already struggling with opiate 
abuse would make the problem worse, he said.

Employees with a physician's permission to use pot would add another 
complication for employers, Allison added.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom