Stoned and dethroned: landscaping and legalized marijuana

This past week I read a few articles about the impending legalization of marijuana in Canada and what businesses might do with their workplace impairment policies. Now I wonder what my own boss will do about pot smokers and safety on the job.

Punks at a party

I remember attending a work-related party some years ago and one of the young guns there started talking about pot. I guess he came to his first shift on my crew stoned and the thought of it made him laugh. No way, I had no idea. Absolutely no idea. I was sure he was just another incompetent dude. I was wrong. He came to work stoned and survived.

Immigrant’s son

My father was a single parent immigrant with three kids. We never had money for drugs. Chess and trail running were my escape and recreation. I had zero access to recreational chemicals.

Since I can not tell if my crew members are stoned this poses a bit of a problem for me. And yet we have to keep our workplaces safe. The whole image of stoners running around with small engine machines horrifies me.

Going to pot

So, who can do what at work once marijuana is legalized? Let’s take a look at BC Business Magazine (November 2017, p.25). As it turns out, “prohibiting non-medicinal marijuana is acceptable” because workers are obligated to show up to work able to do the job safely. Of course, judging their level of impairment will be difficult.

Human Rights Code

According to the Human Rights Code we have to accommodate addicted workers. Same for workers with disabilities who require the use of medicinal marijuana; up to the point of “undue hardship”. Great. It sounds messy, already.

Company policies

Companies will have to put policies in place and workers should disclose whether or not they are using. In addition, the company will have to follow through and take action if there is a rogue stoner on one of the crews. According to the article, “employers have a significant legal obligation to keep the workplace safe for everybody.”

Allegedly, the landscape industry in British Columbia attracts some very bad apples. It’s distinctly possible that nothing much will happen after marijuana legalization. Perhaps the dudes were using all along?