STICKS AND THE STONED

Workers sacked for smoking cannabis before work might start to
question the right of fellow employees to take mind-altering drugs
without question, the only difference being that those drugs are
prescribed by medical professionals.

According to figures released by Pharmac, nearly 10 per cent of New
Zealanders took medication for mental illness last year, including a
growing numbers on anti-psychotics.

One report said 1.2 million anti-depressant prescriptions were issued
for nearly 400,000 individual users. Pharmac says the number of
people using anti-psychotics has grown from 64,500 in 2007 to more
than 80,000 last year.

Some mental health advocates are suggesting these drugs are
prescribed too readily and after too little consultation.

The intent of the drugs is to help the patient overcome a mental
health problem and function better in the world, such as someone with
mild depression being able to get through a full day of work.

It raises the question, though, about the point at which the worker
should tell their boss they are taking what can be quite powerful medications.

Unfortunately, some employers might not take the news well and it is
easy to see how the worker would be reluctant to be open about their situation.

The difference to cannabis users is that these people are taking
medication intended to help them through a problem.

Some workers have taken their employer to court for being sacked
after taking cannabis, a drug that is sometimes prescribed for
medical reasons but which is classed as illegal in New Zealand.

Many companies rightly ban their workers from taking this Class C
controlled substance, not because it is illegal but because it
affects their ability to do their job and increases the risk to other
workers. In industries with hazards such as sharp objects, heavy
machinery and driving, there is no question that cannabis should be
excluded from the mix.