Marijuana in the workplace
Here in the state of Washington, Cannabis Sativa, aka Weed, aka Marijuana, aka Whacky Tabacky, has been legalized. Personally, I don’t smoke anything except cigars, so this isn’t good or bad news for me. I have nothing against the Ganja; it just never appealed to me. Despite my lack of personal interest, I find myself involved in more marijuana conversations now. This is because the taboo substance has recently been legalized here in my home state. Who would have ever thought that an HR guy would be discussing the option of THC in the workplace? Who would have thought a candidate’s mother would show up for the job interview (and want to sit in) or that employees could work from home? My, how times have changed.
Biased opinion
Maybe I am getting asked about it because folks think that if any HR person is going to be using the herb in the workplace, it will be the liberally minded HRNasty. I’m not sure what it is, but the conversations are fascinating.
Among my small circle of friends are a few founders, owners, and hiring managers. I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to rap with these individuals. These conversations allow me to hear additional data points from folks making decisions around hiring, corporate culture, vendor relationships, etc. I recently went on a road trip with a buddy who has a company. Of course, we went down our usual set of topics related to building his company and corporate culture.
His company has over 300 employees, and over three-quarters are on the manufacturing side. The topic of marijuana in the workplace came up, and I thought that this was a no-brainer discussion. My buddy is a smart guy with a couple of legitimate concerns. He asked me what I thought about the stoners passing around the bong in the workplace.
Give me a break
My initial reaction was, “Are you fricking kidding me? Weed in the workplace? Give me a break!” But I used my HR training, held my tongue, and heard him out. It wouldn’t be very HR of me to unload on him before I heard his thoughts.
My buddy, let’s call him “Drug Pusher,” owns his own company. He had been thinking about putting his employees through regular and random drug testing for two reasons. 1. It is a manufacturing plant operating heavy machinery. 2. He thought it was the smart thing to do. Of course, I let Drug Pusher know that he “should have put that drug test policy into place before the legalization of weed was passed” and chuckled at his unfortunate timing in this Kobayashi Maru no-win situation. It’s always so fun to play quarterback, HR, asshole.
Common Sense
I had a couple of thoughts, and although I get it is legal, I think this is standard HR(Nasty) sense.
No frickin’ drugs in the workplace where heavy machinery is involved. End of conversation. I get there are prescription uppers, downers, and all-a-rounders, but two things come to mind:
- This crew operates heavy machinery.
- This crew interacts one-on-one with customers. If I were a customer and I was paying his crew 50.00 to 80.00 an hour per person, you can bet your ass I don’t want to see any stoned vendors on our campus driving moving trucks or operating heavy equipment. I also don’t want to see stoned vendors moving our furniture. I don’t want our employees to smell the ganja on anyone. I don’t want our employees to jostle with his bloodshot employee’s eyes at the vending machine for Doritos.
- This crew operates heavy machinery and drives trucks!!!! Is it just me??
Always an exception
OK, OK, I get it. Some of us are on anti-depressants. Apparently, with our lack of rain, Seattle has the highest percentage per capita of depressed people.
Although anti-depressants and THC are both prescription drugs, my litmus test is as the following:
What will your customers think about interacting with one of your employees who is high on any drug?
I know that I don’t want to buy any product or service and turn my hard-earned money over to a cashier who is stoned. Even if I am at a Marijuana dispensary and picking up prescriptions, I don’t want to turn my money over to someone who is high.
The irrational rational
Drug Pusher argued that if he drug-tested his crew, he could quickly lose 20 to 30% of his workforce. A workforce that was highly trained, efficient, and, if let go from his company, would probably go to a direct competitor and work their ass off just out of spite.
He was also getting arguments from some of his leads that with Marijuana legal and recognized as a pain reliever, it should be recognized and approved.
Sorry, no can do in the house of HRNasty. My argument to him was hard, fast, and delivered swift justice.
Alcohol is “legal” in the state of Washington, but it doesn’t mean you can come to work drunk. Do you allow your employees to operate heavy machinery or drive your trucks on alcohol?
Drunk = Fired
Come to work drunk at any job, and you will find it tough to defend your permanent dismissal. This isn’t just a CLM (Career Limiting Move). This is a CEM. Career-Ending Move. I know I don’t want to fork my money over to someone for services rendered that are oozing gin or vodka from their pores. This is an HR asshole way of looking at the challenge. If someone is getting high on company time and wants to go to the competition, show them the door. As a business owner, you couldn’t do yourself a bigger favor. You eliminated company liability.
At the end of the day, he has a customer-facing crew. His customers choose who they want to deal with and will make that choice with their dollars.
Tech doesn’t have heavy machinery
Am I against Marijuana? No, and I am glad I don’t face this dilemma. The heaviest machinery our crew operates is a MacBook Pro and a mouse.
My moral with this post is that just because something is legal doesn’t mean it is OK in the workplace. If you think showing up high because the drug is legal, think again. Think about the customer.
See you at the after party,
HRNasty
nasty: an unreal maneuver of incredible technique, something that is ridiculously good, tricky, and manipulative but with a result that can’t help but be admired, a phrase used to describe someone good at something. “He has a nasty forkball”.
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binance registrering
August 2, 2025Thanks for sharing. I read many of your blog posts, cool, your blog is very good.
gander2112
January 14, 2014Tough one. Seems simple to me. If you are high (or drunk) on the job, and it visibly affects your work, you should get disciplined.
Of course, there are plenty of 0 tolerance roles. Airline pilots, heavy machine operators, drivers and the like. They can’t drink on the job, and they shouldn’t toke on the job. But the difference in the retention of the metabolites is the crucial factor. I have to think that the anti-doping labs for sports could work out a more real time test for intoxication.
But as Larry says, it is all about maturity. I enjoy a beer (or three) occasionally, and it has never impaired my work. But if I started slamming Kamikazi’s at lunch, everybody in the office would quickly figure it out.
Larry McKeogh
January 13, 2014I know, I hear it occasionally as well here in Colorado re: marijuana. What you come to realize is where the individual’s priorities lie. If their not mature enough to realize the difference between on the clock and off this might point to areas of greater concern.
I had a past boss that found out I got 2 speeding tickets in a month off hours in a non-driving related role. He told me in no uncertain terms if he heard of another one that was it. (small town) How could he trust me to do the right thing on the job if I couldn’t do the right thing off the job. A little harsh? Not for controlling a nuclear reactor.
My introduction to the golden rule. He who’s got the gold makes the rule. You don’t like it you know where the door is.
HR Gal Friday
January 9, 2014Obviously being high in the workplace is bad, esp if dealing with customers or machinery. What about the weekend indulgers, though? They would fail a drug test because it stays in your system for a while, but they may be at work totally sober. That’s where I’m stumped about this. I agree weed is on par with alcohol and have no problem with medical or recreational use when not at work. Until a drug test can determine if you’re high now vs. if you’ve been high this month, I think problems will arise.