Oregon Rules For Employers In Case of Positive Marijuana Drug Test Despite Medical Marijuana Card

The Oregon Supreme Court ruled that employers can fire employees whose drug test comes back positive for marijuana even if the employee has a medical marijuana card. The decision is based on a 1998 state law that gives way to federal law in the case of marijuana. The gist of the Federal law is that marijuana is an illegal drug and it has no medicinal purpose.

State Justice Rives Kistler stated, "Because employee did not take marijuana under supervision of a licensed health care professional and because the authorization to use marijuana found (in state law) is unenforceable, it follows that employee was currently engaged in the illegal use of drugs."

Medical Marijuana being legal in 13 States and a half dozen more considering the issue. The Supreme Court has studied the issue twice, once in 2003 when they ruled in favor of the employer by stating that in states with medical marijuana laws, an employer can refuse to accept medical marijuana as a reasonable explanation for a positive drug test. In 2005 they solidified their support by ruling hat the federal government may enforce the Controlled Substances Act's prohibition on medical marijuana against those who use the drug under state laws.

Pittsburgh drug testing firm Mobile Medical Corporation (MMC) can help you with all of your substance abuse testing needs. MMC works closely with all clients to establish affordable and focused drug testing protocols that comply with both the Department of Transportation (DOT) and Non-Federal testing programs.

New Oxycodone Formula Gets Backing of FDA

The FDA recently voted in favor of pushing a new formulation of oxycodone hydrochloride for approval. The new OxyContin formula is more difficult to crush or dissolve which will hopefully make it harder to be used as a drug of abuse . The FDA recommended that Purdue Pharma's application for a new, resin-coated formulation should replace the original version, which has been on the market since 1996. Randall Flick, MD, an anesthesiologist at the Mayo Clinic who voted to recommend approval of the drug said, "Clearly the old formulation is worse than the new, although I think the difference is relatively small," Flick concluded, "Hardcore abusers are likely to devise new ways to break down the harder tablet or figure out which solvents will dissolve it fastest, within 'day or weeks' of the product's release on the market."

Utah Debates Drug Testing for Public Assistance

Utah has begun to follow the path that so many other states have traveled earlier this year. The path leads to drug testing for public assistance. Utah Senator Dennis Stowell had asked that the issue be studied carefully and Rep. Christopher Herrod said "If someone's on drugs, we shouldn't be giving them money," he said. "There's nowhere in the Constitution that says, 'You have a right to get welfare." At the center of the debate is cost and legality. An analyst for Community Action Partnership of Utah stated that "The cost to test all Utah’s families that receive 'Temporary Assistance for Needy Families' would be high." The analyst added, "That testing all welfare recipients just once would cost about $255,000 and a lawsuit against the state would likely cost more than $1 million." Further discussion and analysis is planned in the upcoming months to decide whether to study the issue further, table the issue or wait un

PHOTOS: MMC Through the Years

Mobile Medical Corporation (MMC) is excited to be celebrating our 30th Anniversary in 2020! MMC was founded on June 21, 1990. Check out some photos as we have grown over the years!

Nationwide Drug Testing and On-Site Medical Services By Mobile Medical Corporation

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