Now, most city workers will no longer be fired if they use marijuana off the clock.
The changes take effect in 30 days, and come close to nine years after Alaska voters legalized recreational marijuana.
“I think this is just moving us to the direction where we respect people’s privacies, and we live up to the way we voted on this, the people voted on this, a decade ago almost,” Martinez said. All other city employees cannot work within eight hours of using marijuana. Any drug tests performed by the city would be saliva tests, and a positive test would contain 25 nanograms per milliliter of THC.
The ordinance also shifts the city’s drug testing policy from a punitive to a more supportive approach. Under the old policy, employees would automatically be fired if they tested positive for marijuana. Assembly Chair Chris Constant says the newer policy allows supervisors to give more “compassionate and healthcare-centered” disciplining, such as verbal warnings and referring people to substance misuse treatment.
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