When medical marijuana first started to become legal, mine operators responded in a similar way. Most mines continue to have a zero tolerance policy for both applicants and current employees for several good reasons. But, as local legalization spreads across the country, state laws and recent court decisions are creating challenges for employers.

In fact, even as marijuana remains illegal under federal law, many state medical marijuana laws contain anti-discrimination provisions that provide job protections for medical marijuana users. Following a number of pro-worker court decisions in several different states, providing protections for those who test positive for marijuana, companies may need to re-examine their policies.

In a recent Rock Products magazine column, I looked at these cases and what they may mean for your mine. Read the full article here.