After getting roasted for its controversial “ZenBooths” for warehouse employees, Amazon has announced a new policy that sounds far more reasonable:
The company will no longer disqualify US employees for cannabis use and will also throw support behind the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act, says a blog post by CEO Dave Clark.
Primed for the mainstream
The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) applauds the moves, which they say simply reflect the attitudes of most Americans.
“Times have changed; attitudes have changed, and in many places, the marijuana laws have changed,” reads a statement issued by the organization. “It is time for workplace policies to adapt to this new reality and to cease punishing employees for activities they engage in during their off-hours that pose no workplace safety threat.”
Cannabis use up in 2020
Cannabis use was up by 44% in 2020 compared to 2016, according to drug testing data released by Quest Diagnostics. But increasingly, employers are urged to look instead for impairment rather than evidence of THC or CBD in the bloodstream, particularly in states where cannabis is legal.
More progressive than the White House
The move also makes President Joe Biden’s recent dismissal of cannabis-consuming employees look even more out-of-touch. It’ll be increasingly tough for this administration to not nate toke take note.
