BUS273 Semester Project – Medical Marijuana

“A total of 33 states, the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico have approved a comprehensive public medical marijuana/cannabis program” (National Conference of State Legislatures, 2018), signaling a shift in “public” acceptance unheard of in the last 50 years.

Additionally, 11 states and the District of Columbia now have legalized small amounts of marijuana for adult recreational use, creating a conflict with federal existing law and serious potential issues for business owners. Your assignment involves significant academic research on the rights, responsibilities, and legalities of business interactions with medical marijuana usage by staff and suppliers. To enhance your learning and overall point earning of this major assignment, please consider the following.

BUS273 Semester Project – Medical Marijuana

• You will address the questions based on the following assumptions:

  • You are a business owner in Elko County that employs a minimum 20 employees but less than 100. Think of a manufacturing company, mine contractor, hospitality provider (casino, hotel, restaurant, etc.).

  • You currently have a stable and thriving business with several long term staffers but also have significant turnover.

  • You have a non-union staff and have been approached by employees with questions on the laws relating to medical marijuana usage and work.

• The questions:

  1. What is your responsibility to the staff and consumer regards medical marijuana usage during employees “off time”?

  2. What can you legally do regards enforcement of federal versus state medical marijuana laws?

  3. Can you fire an employee for usage that is confirmed with a drug test at the business? Should you? Why?

  4. What considerations do you see as being relevant to this business concern?