Most business leaders are resigned to adult recreational use of marijuana becoming legal in the Ocean State, maybe as soon as next year.
Much less clear to them, however, is how much control they will be able to maintain over their hiring standards and workplaces.
Part of the problem is that business leaders have not been part of behind-the-scenes negotiations between the governor’s office and top legislative leaders that have been going on for months.
But as this week’s cover story reports, the good news for businesses concerned about maintaining drug-free workplace standards post-legalization is that Rhode Island negotiators are looking to mirror protections for businesses approved in Connecticut. That’s according to Sen. Joshua Miller, D-Cranston, who has been part of the Statehouse negotiations.
That includes allowing all employers to conduct marijuana testing of prospective employees and similar testing or “fitness for duty” evaluations of employees.
Sen. Miller says Rhode Island negotiators also agree industries where marijuana use could present a clear safety hazard, such as manufacturing, should be exempted from any new restrictions on employers’ ability to prohibit marijuana use in or out of the workplace. Connecticut exempted its construction, manufacturing and transportation sectors.
Rhode Island following suit would be welcome news to General Dynamics Electric Boat, which employs about 4,000 in North Kingstown.
But the devil is always in the details and Rhode Island businesses deserve a seat at the table as these details are being hammered out.