It used to be so black and white. Don’t pass a drug test, don’t get the job. In states with medicinal and now recreational cannabis programs, the black and white of what cannabis means for employment has become increasingly gray.

Previous legislation from the 90’s does not allow a person to be discriminated against for previous disabilities. This includes being accepted for a job. Recreational and medicinally legal states are deciding whether marijuana use is one such treatment for the defined disabilities. But even in recreationally legal states, companies are allowed to make their own decisions on weed and the workplace. The battle on both sides has been fierce, and both have seen their share of wins and losses.

Therefore, what cannabis means for your individual job is largely a murky mystery. Depending on the industry, the impacts of marijuana on your job could range significantly, both positively and negatively. On the flip side of that, you might find cannabis opens a lot of professional doors for you!

Cannabis Means Discretioncannabis means

For many modern marijuana enthusiasts and business professionals, cannabis means a great risk. While searching for a career, cannabis use could prove a barrier for positional acceptance. If already gainfully employed, testing hot for cannabis means a potential loss of income, and livelihood.

Don’t rely on the court system to bail you out, either. Many high-profile cannabis cases have gone the way of the company, rather than the individual. This trend could, and most likely will change later on, but for now it is the norm.

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Cannabis Means Big Business

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Off-shoot cannabis industries can mean big opportunities in the emerging cannabis landscape.

Not all impacts of cannabis on your job are negative.

In the recreationally legal state of Colorado in 2015, alone, cannabis sales topped nearly $1 billion. Suffice to say, bud business is booming. And not just in sales of recreational cannabis, either.

The introduction of any new industry creates dozens of off-shoot industry partners that, in turn, create exciting new careers never before seen in modern society. For instance, while the actual sale and production of recreational cannabis drives the industry’s success, companies formed like Analytical 360, a cannabis safety screening company out of Washington state, ensure the industry’s quality. Analytical 360 test cannabis from growers before it is released to the public. The emergence of off-shoot industries such as Analytical 360 and other testing facilities, marketing agencies, security services, and other start ups is a product of the sales industry they serve. If you have a cannabis startup, learn about marketing your cannabusiness here.

The basic point here being that there are countless ways to get into the ‘green’ industry. Cannabis doesn’t have to mean negative consequences or hush-hush acceptance and use, it can also literally be your job. In a multitude of capacities.