PROPOSED BILL WOULD PROHIBIT USE OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA IN WORKPLACE

HB 3052 Clarifies State Medical Marijuana Laws

SALEM, Ore. ­ House Republican Leader Bruce Hanna (R-Roseburg) on
Wednesday testified in support of HB 3052, a bipartisan bill he
co-sponsored to promote drug-free workplaces in Oregon. If passed
into law, HB 3052 would allow employers to prohibit the use of
medical marijuana at Oregon work sites.

"Drug and alcohol abuse is the one of the leading causes of injury
and death in the workplace, nationally and in Oregon," said Rep.
Hanna, a small business owner and employer. "Oregon's drug test
failure rate is 50 percent higher than the national rate, and a large
majority of Oregon employers say that on-the-job substance abuse is a
significant concern to their business."

HB 3052 clarifies Oregon's medical marijuana laws to enable employers
and independent contractors to prohibit their employees from
consuming or possessing marijuana during working hours. Further, the
bill stipulates that state medical marijuana laws do not preclude or
restrict an employer's ability to establish or enforce policies to
achieve or maintain a drug-free workplace.

"This legislation is needed to protect our state's workers and
consumers," Rep. Hanna said. "Currently, employers have no way to
measure impairment from medical marijuana, where unlike prescription
drugs, quantities and dosage are unknown and no physician oversight
exists after the medical marijuana card is issued."

Rep. Hanna added, "With passage of HB 3052, employers will finally
have the tool they need to maintain a safe workplace."

HB 3052 was heard Wednesday in the House Business and Labor Committee.