RESPECT MEDICAL MARIJUANA

Wal-Mart fails to honor Michigan's marijuana law, fires terminally-ill man

Wal-Mart recently fired one of its employees, Joseph Casias, after a
drug test proved positive for marijuana use.

In Michigan, where Casias lives, it is legal to be prescribed
medical marijuana, which Casias has been using to cope with his
sinus cancer and brain tumor since last June.

A medical marijuana license is supposed to keep people who were
authorized to carry it from being arrested, but nobody ever
mentioned they can still be fired.

Casias shows up to work every day despite having a terminal illness,
which could take his life at any moment, and just because he smokes
a little dope to alleviate the excruciating pain, he is fired. Thank
you, Wal-Mart, for again demonstrating such level-headed values.

I find it more than a little unreasonable that employers still have
the authority to fire employees for marijuana use in a state where
medical marijuana is legal.

"We're sympathetic to Mr. Casias' condition, but like other
companies, we have to consider the overall safety of our customers
and our associates, including Mr. Casias when making a difficult
decision like this," Wal-Mart spokesman Greg Rossiter said.

I am also sympathetic to Casias' condition, which is why I probably
would not fire him from the job that paid for the medicine needed to
keep him functional in the face of such an illness.

Marijuana receives an unbelievably bad rap. It is the quintessential
unspoken thing that everyone does, but nobody wants to admit. The
hypocritical mini-van driving moms of the world love to label it as
"evil," when really the gin and tonic that gets them
through daycare is more dangerous.

The criminalization of marijuana use is one of those silly American
laws, similar to the 21-year-old drinking age, or the ban of gay
marriage, in that nobody has a legitimate excuse for its existence.

Now that 14 states have marginally come to their senses in
supporting medical marijuana, there is still the issue of employers
not respecting the state law. Just as it would be wrong to fire
someone for taking prescription medication, it should be wrong to
fire someone for taking prescribed medical marijuana.

That Wal-Mart even has drug tests is an issue of concern.
Personally, I think free weed should be given to employees to get
them through the work day.

To be fair, I do not think companies should give up their right to
drug test. However, testing positive on marijuana use is hardly a
cause for concern. Marijuana is virtually the safest "drug" anyone
can take. A company should not have the right to punish someone for
doing what their doctor prescribed -- this is not only cruel, but
irresponsible.

The question is whether companies would still fire people for
testing positive on drug tests if marijuana were to become legal,
and not just for medical purposes. My guess is there would be a
Great Depression-level epidemic of unemployment. It is time for
America to face the facts -- marijuana is here to stay.

You know what they say -- a bowl a day keeps the doctor away.