Federal protections on cannabis added to spending bill

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Federal protections on cannabis added to spending bill

Law-abiding patients, caregivers and businesspeople in states that allow medical cannabis will be protected from the long arm of The United States Department of Justice and U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

Federal protections on state medical cannabis laws, what is known as the Rohrabacher-Blumenauer amendment, now the Leahy amendment, have been included in a federal spending bill. On March 22, the House passed the spending measure with a vote of 256-167. The Senate passed the bill late Thursday.

Those provisions have been included in an extensive $1.3 trillion federal funding bill which runs through Sept. 30. The 2,232-page omnibus spending bill will fund the government through the remainder of fiscal year 2018.

“Good work by @DanaRohrabacher, @repblumenauer and everyone else who fought to continue these important medical marijuana protections,” Marijuana Majority Founder Tom Angell tweeted Wednesday about California Republican Rep. Dana Rohrabacher and Oregon Democrat Rep. Earl Blumenauer.

The Rohrabacher-Blumenauer amendment has been federal law since 2014. Each time the House has voted on it since 2014, the bill has gained more traction.

The provisions have been extended in federal omnibus bills at least eight times. The rider bill can only be extended in short increments, and Rep. Blumenauer told CULTURE on March 14 that it is “a reflection of how seriously flawed the budget process has been here in Congress. It is tied to Prohibition on expending federal money to interfere with otherwise state-legal activities. It has been limited, in some cases, to a few months or a few weeks because that is how the federal government has been funding its operations.

Rohrabacher-Blumenauer amendment is a victim of the dysfunctional budget process.”

“While I’m glad that our medical marijuana protections are included,” Blumenauer said in a press release posted on his website, “there is nothing to celebrate since Congress only maintained the status quo. These protections have been law since 2014. This matter should be settled once and for all. Poll after poll shows that the majority of Americans, across every party,
strongly favor the right to use medical marijuana.”

Despite threatening to veto the bill, President Trump signed the spending bill on March 23.

—Benjamin M. Adams

http://sdcitybeat.com/culture/cannab...t-cannabis-la/

Final spending bill leaves out ‘dreamers,’ major wall money

Newsy nuggets: New federal actions aim to protect cannabis laws and hemp farms

Medical marijuana protections are renewed and Mitch McConnell aims to legalize hemp

by Seth Combs, Benjamin M. Adams


Legal hemp legislation to be introduced by… Mitch McConnell?

Does California’s agricultural industry have a hero in Mitch McConnell? That might be the case, as the Senate Majority Leader from Kentucky has introduced a bill that would remove hemp from the federal list of controlled substances. Hemp is essentially the THC-free version of cannabis sativa and can be used to make clothes, oils, cosmetics and foods derived from the seeds.

Sen. McConnell has been particularly vocal about the benefits of industrialized hemp farming since the 2014 Farm Bill first allowed for farms to grow it. His home state of Kentucky has particularly benefited from hemp farming and has become one of the nation’s largest producers.

The new bill would allow for even more farming and essentially fully legalize hemp so that stores could safely carry hemp-derived products without fear of raids.

Still, the bill is expected to get push back from organizations like the Narcotic Officers’ Association, who claim the bill is a bad idea because the hemp plant looks almost identical to the marijuana plant and that they’d have no way of knowing without lab tests.

McConnell is expected to introduce the bill when he returns to the Senate in April. While California’s Proposition 64 allows for the cultivation of industrial hemp, a federal bill decriminalizing hemp would go a long way in appeasing farmers who might still fear federal raids.

—Seth Combs

Read the original article here. For the latest cannabis news and lifestyle trends, please pick up our sister magazine CULTURE every month or visit culturemagazine.com.


MARCH 28, 2018 ISSUE

http://sdcitybeat.com/culture/cannabeat/newsy-nuggets-new-federal-actions-aim-to-protect-cannabis-la/

Wonderful!! The next bill needs to protect residents of those states who have legalized recreational weed as well. We so need to end the war on drugs and make it a legalized with an age requirement to purchase, regulated for quality and quantity, taxed by the FairTax, some of the tax used to fund better education about the real risks and consequences, authentic warnings on packages, domestic only trade, no exports or imports, with establishments and operators from A to Z being licensed US citizens, and a portion of the taxes used to fund free on demand rehab for anyone who wants or needs it. This way only drug users pay the cost because drug purchasers are the only ones paying a tax to cover the regulation, enforcement, education and rehab, the way it should be, in my opinion.

ANY TAX COLLECTED SHOULD PAY FOR 100% OF DRUG REHAB AND DRUG RELATED DAMAGE TO OTHERS!!!

I DO NOT WANT TO PAY FOR DRUG REHAB OUT OF MY POCKET.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Beezer

ANY TAX COLLECTED SHOULD PAY FOR 100% OF DRUG REHAB AND DRUG RELATED DAMAGE TO OTHERS!!!

I DO NOT WANT TO PAY FOR DRUG REHAB OUT OF MY POCKET.

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Oh yes, absolutely. That's why I said the FairTax proceeds would be used to pay for regulation, enforcement, better education and drug rehab for anyone who wants or needs it. Plus, the establishments should also pay some fees for their license like people have to pay for liquor licenses. This way only those involved in the business either as growers, producers, sellers and users pay for whatever costs are associated with running a clean, safe as possible, legal, regulated, responsible recreational drug trade.

Legalizing Recreational Pot a Bad Idea for Illinois Employers
02.09.18

Written by Kevin Sabet

To some entrepreneurs (and even Illinois gubernatorial candidates), marijuana legalization is all the rage these days. We’re promised “more tax money!”, “less crime!” and “miraculous medicine!” But a closer look at the evidence reveals a far different picture. In fact, take it from this former Obama administration drug policy adviser: The legalization of recreational marijuana will impose significant costs on taxpayers, resulting in workplace losses, car crashes, lost tourism revenue, administrative enforcement and a multitude of other issues.

It’s true: One sector of the economy stands to make big bucks from legalization, and that’s Big Marijuana. Its goal is to fool us into believing their billion-dollar industry will somehow benefit employers and taxpayers. Remember Big Tobacco? It’s like a watching a car crash happen all over again in slow motion.

Speaking of car crashes, add that to the list of things we have to worry about with legal marijuana. According to AAA, crashes related to pot doubled after legalization in Washington, and a recent Denver Post investigation found an increase in pot-related car crashes,confirming data revealed by law enforcement.

Pot is also causing significant disruptions in the workforce in legalized states. Workers in those states are testing positive for marijuana at much higher rates than the rest of the country, and some companies—like a large construction firm in Colorado—can’t find people to pass a drug test.

Marijuana legalization also opens the door to myriad lawsuits against employers. The marijuana industry has vowed to make employee “rights” to use pot a priority. The head of the pot lobby has said that firing pot users is “simply unfair, and it cannot be allowed to stand.” They’ve won in some courts.​

While the Big Marijuana industry claims that legalizing recreational use will lead to an influx of state tax dollars, evidence shows that the costs of legalization outweigh any potential tax revenue. Based on research in states that have legalized recreational marijuana, the public health costs related to Big Marijuana are at least 25 percent greater than the increased tax revenues, due to workplace accidents, hospital admissions, traffic crashes and increased law enforcement costs.

And there are so many more costs we cannot even begin to quantify. This includes increased use of other drugs, greater marijuana use, controlling an expanded black market, sales to minors, public intoxication and other burdens.

Let’s take a look at Colorado, whose “great experiment” with marijuana is hurting its health care system and roadways—and worst of all, its kids. In fact, there are now more black and Hispanic youth arrested for pot now than before legalization in Colorado. While rich white men get richer and marginalized communities remain forgotten, social justice has hardly been advanced. Tax revenue gained from marijuana was much smaller than promised, and the Denver Post reported pot taxes wouldn’t solve the state’s budget problems. One study showed uncollected payments among marijuana-related patients at a hospital in Colorado totaled at least $20 million over a six-year period. And a recent study released in May showed that ER visits by teenagers in Colorado have quadrupled since marijuana was legalized.

Even Colorado’s own “pot czar,” Andrew Freedman, has said marijuana tax revenues are often wildly overestimated, saying, “Everybody was really excited about the tax revenue, and now everyone wants to know where it went.”

Don’t let Big Marijuana fool you into believing their billion-dollar industry will somehow benefit you. Legalizing recreational marijuana only benefits Big Marijuana—at the expense of employers, taxpayers and families.


https://illinoisfamily.org/marijuana...ois-employers/

It seems the taxes collected for legal maryjane is an incentive to our gov'ts coffers. Better to collect than have a total underground economy.

As far as what drugs can make you ok to work - you can partake in highly addictive heroin, cocaine, meth and it will not be traced by drug tests after 3 days use. Mary Jane is traceable up to a month of use. Now a Mary Jane high is gone in a few hours and is not addictive whereas heroin, cocaine, meth are highly addictive. Perhaps drug test/job related tests should be updated. Would add that most accidents also include use of RX Xanex, valium with the maryjane. In other words more than just weed.

Never want to see employers or our gov't allowing heroin, cocaine meth use to collect a tax. Addictive substances need to be removed from our citizens' access. Safe injection sites are the wrong road. Remove the drug carets whether they have a criminal record or not - GET OUT! Which means ALL ILLEGALS GOTTA GO NOW!

California to tax pot as much as 45% - Oct. 31, 2017 - CNN Money
money.cnn.com/2017/10/31/news/economy/california-cannabis-tax.../index.html
Oct 31, 2017 - California marijuana consumers are going to have to pay a combination of state and local taxes that vary by municipality. Growers and sellers have their own taxes, too. Consumers will pay a sales tax ranging from 22.25% to 24.25%, which includes the state excise tax of 15%, and additional state and local ...

"An estimated $1 billion in new tax revenue would be directed toward specific new or expanded programs such as drug use prevention and treatment, helping at-risk youth, law enforcement, environmental clean-up and research."
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​
If marijuana is legalized in California, where would $1 billion in new tax revenue go?

https://www.mercurynews.com/wp-conte...tdui.jpg?w=525
An officer and citizen demonstrate the use of a Drager DrugTest 5000, a type of saliva swab test that can check for drugged driving out in the field. A California senator wants to expand the use of the roadside tests.

By BROOKE EDWARDS STAGGS, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER |
September 19, 2016 at 8:03 am

If you probe why the polls show a majority of California voters support a statewide effort to legalize recreational marijuana, increased tax revenue inevitably comes up.

UC Irvine student Giovanni Chavez, like many backers of legalized pot, says he’s primarily concerned about personal liberty and studies showing disproportionate prosecution of minorities for drug offenses.

But after watching state and local governments struggle through recurring budget crises, the aspiring political consultant said state-regulated marijuana sales would provide a new and needed stream of tax dollars.

“We could use the extra revenue,” said Chavez, 21. “And the fact that we would be able to interfere with the black market is huge.”

Supporters of legal recreational marijuana use point to Colorado, which legalized cannabis for adults in 2012. There, taxes and fees on weed are helping to build schools, repair roads and stabilize city budgets.

But critics of Proposition 64, California’s legalization initiative on the November ballot, point out tax revenue from legal weed would be dispersed much differently here.

Letitia Pepper, a Riverside attorney who uses medical marijuana to treat multiple sclerosis but is a vocal opponent of the measure, noted none of it would be dedicated to the general operations of local governments or schools.

Proponents acknowledge California’s measure includes key differences in how pot funds could be used. But they add that local governments and students still can benefit from the measure.

An estimated $1 billion in new tax revenue would be directed toward specific new or expanded programs such as drug use prevention and treatment, helping at-risk youth, law enforcement, environmental clean-up and research.

Jason Kinney, spokesman for the Yes on Prop. 64 campaign, said the restrictions on public use of the new tax monies was intentional. If public agencies were allowed to balance their general spending budgets with marijuana taxes, he said, it could create an incentive for them to encourage a bigger marijuana industry.

“The state of California shouldn’t be forced to rely on increased marijuana usage to address future K-12 education, infrastructure and other ongoing budget obligations,” he said.
Instead, Diane Goldstein of North Tustin – a retired police officer who’s campaigning for Prop. 64 – argued that tax revenue from the measure would be wisely used to offset some financial and social harms of the failed war on drugs via increased investment in education, research and treatment.

REVENUE PREDICTIONS
Right now, hundreds of pot businesses operating in California – some with local permits and many without – are paying state sales tax of close to 8 percent.

In 2015, the state took in $58 million in sales tax revenue from some 974 registered dispensaries, including nearly 400 in Los Angeles County and 70 to 80 each in Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, according to Board of Equalization data.

That revenue is on track to nearly double this year.

Under Prop. 64, all marijuana sales would be taxed an additional 15 percent starting Jan. 1, 2018, on top of levies on regulated growers of $9.25 per ounce for dry flowers or $2.75 per ounce for leaves. Medical cannabis patients would be exempt from the state sales tax.

The independent Legislative Analyst’s Office predicts Prop. 64 state tax revenues would total from the high hundreds of millions of dollars to more than $1 billion each year.

That’s less than 1 percent of the state’s annual budget, or about what California brings in annually now from taxes on tobacco products.

Keith Humphreys, a Stanford University professor who served on a state commission that studied approaches for legalizing marijuana, summed up the financial impact of Prop. 64 this way: “It’s not going to make us if we do, and it’s not going to break us if we don’t.”

Tax revenue from legalized weed would first be used to cover “all reasonable costs” incurred by the state to administer and enforce the recreational cannabis regulations, according to the ballot measure.

The Department of Consumer Affairs, which would oversee the new marijuana marketplace if Prop. 64 passes, doesn’t have an estimate yet of those administrative costs, according to spokeswoman Veronica Harms.

The much smaller states of Oregon and Washington spend about $6 million and $8 million a year, respectively, on their medical and recreational programs.

Colorado, which has the oldest and most robust recreational marijuana market in the nation, is budgeted to spend $16.3 million regulating legal marijuana this fiscal year, according to Robert Goulding, spokesman for the Colorado Department of Revenue.

The program “pays it own way,” Goulding noted, with industry taxes, licenses and fees covering administrative costs while helping fund such things as school construction, youth education programs and poison control centers.

Still, Prop. 64 opponents, including Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens, say they’re concerned that tax revenue from legal marijuana sales won’t cover harder-to-quantify effects on public safety and health issues.

WHAT ABOUT LOCAL BENEFITS?
One statewide Colorado levy on pot provides cities with money to use as they choose. That allowed Denver to add $29 million to its general fund budget in 2015, the Denver Post reports.

While Prop. 64 doesn’t provide new, dedicated revenue directly to cities and counties, proponents say there are still ways local governments can benefit from the measure.

California cities that permit recreational marijuana businesses could increase income from sales taxes.

There also would be opportunities for governments, schools, public safety agencies and nonprofits in cities that welcome the cannabis industry to compete for hundreds of millions a year in grants that will fund substance abuse programs, offset enforcement costs and more.

Opponents of legalized pot argue all law enforcement agencies should be eligible for such grants, because the ballot measure would permit cultivation and personal consumption of marijuana at residences across the state.

“They’re still going to have to deal with the problems of home grows and use, but there’s no money available to them,” said Andrew Acosta, spokesman for the No on 64 campaign.

Kinney called such criticisms “disingenuous.” He pointed to a Legislative Analyst’s Office estimate that the state will save tens of millions of dollars each year in criminal justice costs if marijuana is legal.

The measure also says cities and counties can ask voters to approve extra local taxes on cannabis.

At least 18 California cities have already approved such levies on medical marijuana shops and farms. Among those is Santa Ana, which expects to collect $1.5 million in pot dispensary fees and taxes this year.

Another 37 local measures appearing on ballots in the state in November call for new taxes on marijuana sales or cultivation. Officials predict those levies could generate up to $22 million a year in revenue for cities and counties.

Pot tax breakdown
After covering administrative costs, here are some uses for the remaining tax revenue if voters approve Prop. 64:

$10 million annually for 11 years for public universities in California to evaluate the impact of legalization and recommend policy changes, if needed. Research will cover topics such as public health, public safety and prices.

$3 million annually for five years to the CHP to develop protocols for determining when drivers are impaired by marijuana, with no good test available now.

$10 million, increasing to $50 million annually by 2022, for grants to local health departments and nonprofits that support addiction treatment, job placement, mental health treatment and other services for communities such as Compton and Oakland that have been hard-hit by previous drug policies.

$2 million annually to the UC San Diego Center for Medical Cannabis Research to study marijuana as medicine.

The remaining revenue will be divvied up to include:

60 percent to prevent young people from abusing substances by offering grants to schools and county health programs, funding treatment programs, helping at-risk youth and more.

Estimated at $450 million or more a year.

20 percent to help state environmental agencies restore waterways affected by cannabis cultivation and protect public lands from being used for marijuana activities. Projected to be upwards of $150 million annually.

20 percent to the CHP to train officers for detecting DUIs and to offer grants to local law enforcement, fire protection or public health programs in regions where cultivation and sales are allowed. Expected to be some $150 million or more each year.

Starting in 2028, legislators could funnel revenue to other programs. But they could never reduce the dollar amount going to youth programs, environmental agencies or law enforcement.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2016/09/...legalpot-0920/

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Originally Posted by artist

It seems the taxes collected for legal maryjane is an incentive to our gov'ts coffers. Better to collect than have a total underground economy.

As far as what drugs can make you ok to work - you can partake in highly addictive heroin, cocaine, meth and it will not be traced by drug tests after 3 days use. Mary Jane is traceable up to a month of use. Now a Mary Jane high is gone in a few hours and is not addictive whereas heroin, cocaine, meth are highly addictive. Perhaps drug test/job related tests should be updated. Would add that most accidents also include use of RX Xanex, valium with the maryjane. In other words more than just weed.

Never want to see employers or our gov't allowing heroin, cocaine meth use to collect a tax. Addictive substances need to be removed from our citizens' access. Safe injection sites are the wrong road. Remove the drug carets whether they have a criminal record or not - GET OUT! Which means ALL ILLEGALS GOTTA GO NOW!

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Is Marijuana Addictive?

The First Question: Is Marijuana Addictive?

http://f.edgesuite.net/data/www.narc...-addiction.jpgLet’s deal with this question immediately. Groups that are in favor of medical marijuana or broad legalization sweep this question under the carpet. The fact is that, yes, it IS addictive. You are unlikely to hear this fact on the nightly news, in the newspaper or anywhere else. Marijuana IS addictive. Here are a few statistics to make this clearer.

What are the odds of becoming addicted? Studies have shown that:

• Of all the people who use marijuana, about one in eleven will become addicted.
• When a young person begins smoking marijuana in his or her TEENS, he (or she) has a one in six chance of becoming addicted.

Admissions to Treatment

http://f.edgesuite.net/data/www.narc...-of-people.jpg

• According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, in 2010, more than 360,000 people were admitted to treatment for addiction, with marijuana being listed as the primary drug they were abusing. That is, they went into rehab because of marijuana and its effects on their bodies and minds.
• Twenty-eight percent of those admissions or 103,000 people were between twelve and seventeen years old. (This figure applies only to publicly-funded facilities so the actual number is much higher.)
• Forty-three percent were under 21.
• In general, only about one person in ten receives needed treatment so it could be estimated that well over three million Americans may be addicted to marijuana – a million of them being high school students or younger.
• Among those entering addiction treatment in 2010, 18% said that their primary drug was marijuana but another 21% said that it was their second or third most problematic drug.

ER visits

• Because of greatly increased potency, mental distress, panic attacks and other problems have also increased. In 2011, there were nearly half a million visits to ERs related to problems with marijuana use. Common symptoms were severe nausea, vomiting, high blood pressure, anxiety, panic attacks and paranoia.

Daily users

• According to the 2013 World Drug Report, an estimated 1 in 15 high school seniors is a daily or near-daily user of cannabis. For parents who once smoked marijuana “on the weekend or at parties,” they can understand what a high school student smoking DAILY would mean to his ability to really do school or be a school kid.

Marijuana withdrawal

http://f.edgesuite.net/data/www.narc...aving-pain.jpgSome people argue that because marijuana does not have dramatic withdrawal symptoms like alcohol or heroin, it is not addictive. But there are two errors to this thinking. One is that the marijuana of today is more than two times stronger than it was twenty years ago (some say much stronger than that), and withdrawing from that is quite a different matter. The other is that it is simply not true: There ARE withdrawal symptoms when a chronic user stops using cannabis.
They include:

• Irritability
• Insomnia
• Anxiety
• Nightmares
• Anger and fluctuating emotions
• Headaches
• Depression
• Loss of appetite
• And of course, craving to continue to use the drug.

Remember that the above symptoms can be stronger or weaker for the person withdrawing, depending on how much dope he was smoking, over how long, and his own unique physical and mental constitution. (Some people are much more sensitive to drugs. They get higher on less, for example.)

The report Cannabis and Health Hazards notes that withdrawal effects can be triggered by the use of a normal dose of marijuana (one to two good-quality joints per day) for just eleven to twenty-one days.

Continuing to smoke pot despite real evident life-troubles

http://f.edgesuite.net/data/www.narc...essed-girl.jpgPerhaps a better measure of addiction is whether or not the person experiences harm from the use of this drug, but is so compelled to use it and the cravings for it are so strong that he continues anyway.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, heavy marijuana abuse is associated with the following problems or effects:

• Worsening mental and physical health
• Relationship problems
• Higher probability of dropping out of school or abandoning goals
• Lower grades and reduced academic success
• Increased absences from school or work
• More workers’ compensation claims
• Less career success compared to peers.

An addicted cannabis user will continue to use the drug despite effects like these. It is common for a heavy smoker to stop caring about the damage and just focus on staying stoned. This is what is called “addiction.” It applies just as much to marijuana as to crack or meth or pain pills.

http://www.narconon.org/drug-abuse/m...addictive.html

Quote:

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Originally Posted by artist

It seems the taxes collected for legal maryjane is an incentive to our gov'ts coffers. Better to collect than have a total underground economy.

As far as what drugs can make you ok to work - you can partake in highly addictive heroin, cocaine, meth and it will not be traced by drug tests after 3 days use. Mary Jane is traceable up to a month of use. Now a Mary Jane high is gone in a few hours and is not addictive whereas heroin, cocaine, meth are highly addictive. Perhaps drug test/job related tests should be updated. Would add that most accidents also include use of RX Xanex, valium with the maryjane. In other words more than just weed.

Never want to see employers or our gov't allowing heroin, cocaine meth use to collect a tax. Addictive substances need to be removed from our citizens' access. Safe injection sites are the wrong road. Remove the drug carets whether they have a criminal record or not - GET OUT! Which means ALL ILLEGALS GOTTA GO NOW!

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Yeah, the drug testing is unfair and actually makes no sense. I've been opposed to it for years and a long term study came out a few years ago that proved companies that drug tested had no better safety records than those who didn't. It shocked the people doing the study because they were going to use the study to prove the benefits of drug testing, but their own study proved it didn't make any difference at all.

Interesting use of the tax $$. Part of alcohol revenues should be relegated to positive uses too. Maybe they do allocate a portion to alcoholics rehab - don't know. Adult indulgences, alcohol being totally legal within the boundries of federal Alcohol, Firearm, Tobacco division and taxes are collected.

Not a fan of Mary Jane legalization except for medical use and really just the canabanoid part which does not have a high. The use for seizure children is remarkable. But there does seem to be a $$$ factor for adult use. Alcohol, Mary Jane = taxes collected. Better than mexican cartels getting the money. Restrict and federalize just like alcohol is.

If you speak to entrepreneurs that are distilling liquor, they will tell you how they are bound to have certain ingredients or they will be charged with unlawfulness. A liquor has to have a certain % of cane sugar, cannot be agave syrup or any other sweetener but cane sugar - that is written federal law - otherwise cannot be labeled a liquor.

Mary Jane was put in this class 1 category by nixon, he was besides himself that the vietnam war protestors on to this $$$war scheme; were smoking weed outside of the white house grounds - part of history that is decades old now.

Good God, after all the men lost, a good portion of an entire generation of Americans, over years of an ongoing war profiteering scenario where our soldiers were exposed to cancerous agent orange, opium, weed, prostitutes and whatever. Conquer a hill one day, lose it the next.
We now import clothing made in communist vietnam! They are so proud of little vietnam defeating big USA. And they eat dog too.

It's time to legalize, regulate, tax, educate and rehabilitate at the expense of those who use the drugs. Weed didn't used to be addictive, but maybe it is now. Unregulated, untested, who knows what these drug cartels are doing to it. Who would know? These are criminals, the darkest type of criminal, criminals who deliberately ship and distribute killer narcotics into our country without regulations, without taxation, without use instructions, without warnings, knowing full well that tens of thousands of unsuspecting Americans are going to OD and die every year while they laugh all the way to the bank.

To me the goal should be to kill the foreign illegal drug trade by replacing it with a domestic legalized, regulated trade. It's just common sense to me.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Judy

Yeah, the drug testing is unfair and actually makes no sense. I've been opposed to it for years and a long term study came out a few years ago that proved companies that drug tested had no better safety records than those who didn't. It shocked the people doing the study because they were going to use the study to prove the benefits of drug testing, but their own study proved it didn't make any difference at all.

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Employee Drug and Alcohol Testing Statistics

In many instances, what “hits home” in a presentation or in a discussion is a list of relevant and hard-hitting statistics and facts that for whatever reason, seem to make more of an impact on people’s consciousness. This is why the following workplace drug and alcohol testing statistics are presented. Please continue reading for more information about employee drug and alcohol testing statistics and facts.

The Different Kinds of Employee Alcohol Tests

There are primarily five different kinds of alcohol tests that are currently available for testing employees in the workplace: saliva alcohol tests, blood alcohol tests (also called blood tests for alcohol or alcohol blood tests), urine alcohol tests, hair alcohol tests, and alcohol breathalyzer tests (also called alcohol breath tests or breath alcohol tests).

It can be stressed that hair tests for alcohol are a relatively recent development. More overtly, until 2008, hair tests could not detect alcohol and were therefore used mainly for drug testing rather than for alcohol testing.

The Need For Drug and Alcohol Testing Statistics

Unfortunately, certain issues, such as the need for drug and alcohol testing in the workplace, do not make a significant impact on people’s awareness until relevant facts and statistics are presented. With this in mind, the following drug and alcohol testing statistics and facts will be listed.

• Substance abusers are 33% to 50% less productive than individuals who are not substance abusers.
• The research literature confirms that abusive drinking is associated with negative work behaviors such as
  and frequent job changes and absenteeism.
• An estimated 58.8 million (51.4 percent) workers indicated that random testing would not influence their
  decision to work for an employer.
• The alcohol abuse research literature shows that workplace alcohol testing programs are associated with
  less alcohol dependence and alcohol use by employees.
• Substance abusers are absent an average of three or more weeks per year and are late for work three times
  more frequently than non-substance abusers.
• Approximately 40% of the industrial fatalities and 47% of the injuries that take place in the U.S.
  workplace are associated with alcoholism and alcohol abuse.
• An estimated 45.5 million (39.8 percent) workers reported that they would be more likely to work for an
  employer who tests randomly for drug or alcohol use, while 10.0 million (8.7 percent) workers reported that
  they would be less likely.
• Substance abusers are three to four times more likely to have an accident on the job and five times more
  likely to file a workers’ compensation claim.
• More than 40% of U.S. corporate CEOs who participated in a recent survey stated that the use of illegal
  drugs and alcohol costs them from 1% to 10% of their annual payroll.
• An estimated 50% to 80% of loss regarding pilferage and theft is related to substance-using employees.
• Substance abusers, when compared with people who are not substance abusers, file 300% to 400% more costly
  medical claims.

Conclusion: Employee Drug and Alcohol Testing Statistics

Various facts and statistics about alcohol testing in the workplace have been presented. It is hoped that these statistics and facts have added some insights into the importance of employee drug and alcohol testing in today’s organizations, institutions, and companies.

Based on the above statistics, however, it is clear that employee drug and alcohol testing will more likely than not continue in the near future due to the number of drug and alcohol-related accidents, injuries, and deaths that continue to take place in the U.S. workplace.

http://www.alcohol-test-info.com/Emp...tatistics.html

Have read that weed is now laced with fentynal. mexican/chinese drug cartels are treacherous. Put it under federal control with all the consequences. If we did not have an open border for the last 15 years, well that would be a different story. But we have been invaded to make the rich richer with cheap labor and more consumers - well welcome south of the border drug cartels with that and we do not want that to continue.

Drug testing on the job - testing for have you been w/o any substances that could hinder your job in the last 24hrs prior to work? That would be more viable than what is happening now in the work place. Random testing does not catch the demolition worker high on opioids & weed that causes a major catastrophe. Test them on Monday mornings, day after pay day too.

Why California's alcohol taxes are so low | The Sacramento Bee
www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article35127633.html
Sep 13, 2015 - It would affix a nickel-a-drink tax on drinks sold at bars and restaurants that contain distilled spirits. The additional revenue would go into a special fund to help pay for developmental disability services and alcohol prevention and counseling. “I think that appealing to the social conscience when it comes to ...

“Some weeks this year, 90 percent of applicants would test positive for something,” ruling them out for the job"

Companies need workers — but people keep getting high

"We keep hearing employers telling us one of the top problems they're facing is that people are failing drug tests," Roth said. "And they're addicted to drugs that they're getting from their doctors."

Despite hiring boom, employers struggling to find qualified workers

Watch Out! Five Common Causes of Workplace Accidents

We can all be careless sometimes. We don’t pay attention to where we’re going; we drop something without realizing it; and before you know it, an accident occurs. Accidents can happen anywhere, including the workplace. In 2012, nearly 3 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses were reported by private industry employers.

Here are five common causes of workplace accidents:

1. Overexertion

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, overexertion is the number-one cause of workplace injury. Accidents related to physical exertion, including lifting, pushing, pulling, holding, bending, crawling, reaching, and kneeling, cost businesses $15.1 billion in direct costs in 2012, as reported in the Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety’s 2014 Workplace Safety Index. Your job may not require you to lift large or heavy objects, but even light loads, such as books, stacks of paper, or files, can cause injury to your back, neck, and shoulders if you don’t use proper techniques.

Training, safety equipment, and use of caution when performing physical tasks can prevent injuries related to overexertion.

2. Slips, trips, and falls

Slips, trips, and falls are some of the leading causes of disabling workplace injury, accounting for a combined $16.5 billion in workers’ compensation costs in the U.S. Slips, trips, and falls can occur when desk or file drawers are left open or when using a chair to reach objects, as opposed to a ladder. Loose electrical cords and wires also pose a hazard in the workplace. Be careful of spills, wet floors, debris, and ice when walking, and practice good housekeeping.

Check out our blog post on ways to prevent slips and falls in the workplace to learn more.

3. Poor housekeeping

When clients or safety professionals walk through your worksite, housekeeping is an accurate indicator of attitudes toward quality, production, and safety. Poor housekeeping creates all kinds of hazards, and often results in workplace accidents, but a well-maintained area sets a standard for others to follow. Good housekeeping also ensures a safer work environment for all.

4. Taking shortcuts

Shortcuts may seem like an efficient way to complete daily tasks, but not at the risk of your safety and others around you. Shortcuts that reduce job safety only increase the chance of injury. Facility managers should reinforce proper procedures for all employee tasks on a regular basis and make sure employees are aware of the risks associated with taking shortcuts.

5. Distractions

If your day doesn’t start well at home, your worries can carry over to the workplace. Employees can drop their mental guard and pull their focus away from safe work procedures. Accidents often occur when employees are distracted, from walking into doors to tripping over clutter. Adhering to facility standards, including a quality housekeeping program, consistent grounds maintenance, and awareness of your surroundings, will prevent you from being distracted at work.

Many workplace accidents can be prevented through good housekeeping, use of caution, and focus on the task at hand. Don’t think an accident won’t ever happen to you, because that attitude can lead to injury. For more information on accident causes and how you can prevent them, contact GCA Services Group at info@gcaservices.com.

http://www.gcaservices.com/aboutus/n...lace-accidents

Hah - Hah- nickel drink for California. Guess you have federal tax, state tax and each state is probably different % aside from the federal Alcohol, Firearm division compliance - which basically is the bottom line if you are allowed to be involved in the industry on any level -aka federal control. Guess that is where the mary jane industry is going due to $$$.

If they are going to deduct taxes for mary jane rehab, well how much has been taken out for liquor rehab? Liquor is a major problem.

Leading Causes of Death in the Workplace: OSHA's "Fatal Four"

Posted By The Barrera Law Firm, PLLC | 22-Aug-2016

Since 1971, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has partnered with employers, health and safety professionals, and other advocates as a means of creating safe and functional workplaces. Over the years, injury and death rates in the workplace have decreased tremendously. Nonetheless, many workplace injuries and fatalities occur every day. In fact, OSHA reports that there are over 12 work-related deaths throughout the country every day, on average.

What are the Most Common Workplace Injuries According to OSHA?

In 2014, 4,821 workers were killed on the job, according to statistics from OSHA. Unfortunately, a large percentage of these fatalities involved workers in the construction industry, as numerous hazards exist on construction sites.

The leading causes of workplace deaths in the construction industry, called the “Fatal Four” by OSHA, include:

Falls: Roughly 36.5% of all deaths in the workplace occurred due to employees falling. This includes workers who have fallen off ladders, roofs, scaffolding, large skyscraper construction areas, etc.

Struck by an Object: An estimated 10.1% of deaths occurred due to swinging, falling, or misplaced objects.

Electrocutions: About 8.6% of employees died due to electrocution. Workers face a number of electrocution risks on construction site such as exposed wiring, wet conditions while outlets are exposed, etc.

Caught-in or Caught-between: Employees caught in or between machines, devices, or tools causing death accounted for about 2.5% of deaths.

Although OSHA posts and attempts to regulate health and safety standards in all workplaces, on-the-job fatalities and safety issues remain a constant concern, especially in the construction industry. In fact, if the Fatal Four were entirely eliminated, approximately 545 American workers’ lives would be saved each year. For this reason, it is important employees remain aware of their surroundings, ensuring that they take proper precautions at all times. It is also important that employees notify employers if they suspect something is unhealthy or hazardous in their work zones.

https://www.barreralawfirm.com/Blog/...e-OSHAs-F.aspx

Commonly Used Statistics
Federal OSHA coverage

Federal OSHA is a small agency; with our state partners we have approximately 2,100 inspectors responsible for the health and safety of 130 million workers, employed at more than 8 million worksites around the nation — which translates to about one compliance officer for every 59,000 workers.

Federal OSHA has 10 regional offices and 85 local area offices.

OSHA budget

FY 2016: $552,787,000
FY 2017: $551,736,000
FY 2018: $543,257,000 (requested)

OSHA inspections

FY 2017 total federal inspections: 32,396
FY 2017 total State Plan inspections: 43,551

Worker injuries, illnesses and fatalities

5,190 workers were killed on the job in 2016 [https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cfoi.nr0.htm] (3.6 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers) — on average, more than 99 a week or more than 14 deaths every day.

Construction's "Fatal Four"

Out of 4,693 worker fatalities in private industry in calendar year 2016, 991 or 21.1% were in construction — that is, one in five worker deaths last year were in construction. The leading causes of private sector worker deaths (excluding highway collisions) in the construction industry were falls, followed by struck by object, electrocution, and caught-in/between. These "Fatal Four" were responsible for more than half (63.7%) the construction worker deaths in 2016, BLS reports. Eliminating the Fatal Four would save 631 workers' lives in America every year.

Falls — 384 out of 991 total deaths in construction in CY 2016 (38.7%)
Struck by Object - 93 (9.4%)
Electrocutions - 82 (8.3%)
Caught-in/between* - 72 (7.3%)
(*This category includes construction workers killed when caught-in or compressed by equipment or objects, and struck, caught, or crushed in collapsing structure, equipment, or material)

Top 10 most frequently cited OSHA standards violated in FY 2017

The following were the top 10 most frequently cited standards by Federal OSHA in fiscal year 2017 (October 1, 2016, through September 30, 2017):

Fall protection, construction (29 CFR 1926.501) [related OSHA Safety and Health Topics page]
Hazard communication standard, general industry (29 CFR 1910.1200) [related OSHA Safety and Health Topics page]]
Scaffolding, general requirements, construction (29 CFR 1926.451) [related OSHA Safety and Health Topics page]
Respiratory protection, general industry (29 CFR 1910.134) [related OSHA Safety and Health Topics page]
Control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout), general industry (29 CFR 1910.147) [related OSHA Safety and Health Topics page]
Ladders, construction (29 CFR 1926.1053) [related OSHA Safety and Health Topics page]
Powered industrial trucks, general industry (29 CFR 1910.178) [related OSHA Safety and Health Topics page]
Machinery and Machine Guarding, general requirements (29 CFR 1910.212) [related OSHA Safety and Health Topics page]
Fall Protection–Training Requirements (29 CFR 1926.503) [related OSHA Safety and Health Topics page]
Electrical, wiring methods, components and equipment, general industry (29 CFR 1910.305) [related OSHA Safety and Health Topics page]

OSHA is Making a Difference

In more than four decades, OSHA and our state partners, coupled with the efforts of employers, safety and health professionals, unions and advocates, have had a dramatic effect on workplace safety.
Worker deaths in America are down-on average, from about 38 worker deaths a day in 1970 to 14 a day in 2016.
Worker injuries and illnesses are down-from 10.9 incidents per 100 workers in 1972 to 2.9 per 100 2016.

https://www.osha.gov/oshstats/commonstats.html

Quote:

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In more than four decades, OSHA and our state partners, coupled with the efforts of employers, safety and health professionals, unions and advocates, have had a dramatic effect on workplace safety.

Worker deaths in America are down-on average, from about 38 worker deaths a day in 1970 to 14 a day in 2016.

Worker injuries and illnesses are down-from 10.9 incidents per 100 workers in 1972 to 2.9 per 100 in C
2016.

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President Richard Nixon established OSHA in 1972 to improve worker safety in the US. I think he would be pleased with the results of the agency he created.

Worker safety is an important criteria - quoted nixon stats had nothing to do with the use of substances but more with establishing safety awareness. Too bad he didn't use that with our boys sent to war in a foreign land.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by artist

Worker safety is an important criteria - quoted nixon stats had nothing to do with the use of substances but more with establishing safety awareness. Too bad he didn't use that with our boys sent to war in a foreign land.

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Exactly. The drug testing business is a huge enterprise. They exist on the need for drug testing. It's why they include alcohol with all their mentions of drugs, instead of drugs by themselves, because drugs by themselves won't show the data they need to keep selling drug testing services. I'm sure there are some accidents or incidents related to drug use, as well as alcohol use as well, which is probably the greater of the two. But work place accidents have almost nothing to do with either one of these, the majority of work place accidents are the result of normal worker error, exertion, equipment failures or unsafe working conditions.

09/16/2016 06:38 pm ET Updated Dec 06, 2017

The Negative Impact Of Alcohol In The Workplace

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By Brian Hughes


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Image credit: Shutterstock

Alcohol’s reputation as a means to lower inhibitions, take the edge off stress and worries, and temporarily boost feelings of self-confidence can make it a charming companion in good times and bad. However, excessive drinking is too often a damaging path that leads to addiction and ultimately - broken relationships - at home and in the workplace.

In the workplace, two patterns of drinking arise that have a negative impact. Many people drink right before or during work hours (think lunch and company parties), while others drink heavily the night before, arriving at work with a wicked hangover or calling in sick.

Together, these behaviors take a high toll on everyone involved and contribute to lost productivity, workplace accidents and injuries, employee absenteeism, low morale, and increased illness. Moreover, drinking by employees is linked to a variety of antisocial behaviors such as sexual harassment, verbal and physical aggression, and disrespect targeted at colleagues.

About 17.6 million adults in the U.S. currently suffer from alcohol abuse or dependence. Several million more people engage in risky, binge drinking patterns that can lead to alcohol addiction. Binge drinking means drinking five or more alcoholic beverages on the same occasion on at least one day in the past 30 days.

Consider the following sobering statistics:

• In 2014, 60.9 million people ages 12 and older reported binge drinking.
• Every year, about 5,000 youth ages 21 and younger lose their lives due to underage drinking.
• In 2012, 58.3% of youth who tried alcohol for the first time were younger than age 18.
• Binge drinking on the weekend was reported by 24% of teens and young adults.
• In 2014, 37.9% of college students ages 18 to 22 reported binge drinking.
• About 92% of U.S. adults who drink excessively reported binge drinking in the past 30 days.

About one-quarter of college students say that excessive drinking causes them to miss and fall behind in classes, perform poorly on exams, and receive lower grades overall. Binge drinking starts early, so by the time a person is ready to seriously pursue a career, these patterns may be hard to break. Heavy drinkers may find themselves in a similar situation as they did at school, but now their livelihood and financial future are at stake.

Workplace Facts and Stats
About 20% of workers and managers across a wide range of industries and company sizes said a coworker’s on- or off-the-job drinking threatened their productivity and safety. Industries with the highest drinking rates are mining (17.5%) and construction (16.5%). The cost of excessive alcohol use reached $249 billion in 2010 or about $2.05 per drink. Of all these costs, the highest by far was attributed to a loss in workplace productivity (72% of the total cost).

Research also indicates that alcohol was a factor in at least 11% of all workplace-related deaths.

Alcohol Takes a Physical and Mental Toll
Drink too much, especially long-term, and this can result in a host of physical and mental effects - none of them good. For example, drinking can make depression worse, and depression can increase drinking. People who drink alcohol are also at greater risk of abusing illicit drugs. Alcohol use is associated with a variety of illnesses such as liver disease and cancer, and binge drinkers are 72% more likely to have a heart attack. Perhaps most sobering, heavy drinking reduces life expectancy by 10 to 30 years.

Clouded Judgment, Conflicted Relationships
You don’t have to binge drink for alcohol to take its toll. The point at which alcohol affects the ability to make sound decisions and live responsibly varies greatly from person to person. A young woman may drink two glasses of wine and feel tipsy, while her boyfriend is under the misconception he can get in a car and drive after four shots of hard liquor. Regardless of your personal tolerance level, drinking can greatly impair your capabilities at home and on the job. When it becomes habitual, it can destroy everything you hold near and dear.

Marriages in which only one spouse drinks heavily end in divorce 50% of the time. Alcohol abuse is one of the top 10 reasons why employees get fired, and also related to at least four others including excessive absenteeism, the inability to get along with coworkers, not being able to perform assigned tasks, and work fraught with errors.

Bottom line:
It is a harsh reality that alcohol abuse can negatively impact mental and physical health, disrupt relationships, stall or destroy careers, and lead to financial ruin. The good news is that even if you’ve already burned personal and professional bridges, recovery is possible. When you begin the process of seeking help, you’re one step closer to attaining the personal and professional success you deserve.

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/brian..._12039814.html

The doctor/RX opioid overuse is criminal. To purposely push a dangerous highly addictive substance, mail them to your home etc is really a new low for big pharma and the so called doctors in the middle that allow this in their offices daily.

Workplace Accidents and Drug or Alcohol Abuse

posted in Before Treatment,Know: Chemical Dependency,Know: Drugs and Alcohol
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Drug and alcohol abuse can easily lead to workplace accidents. According to the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration, also known as OSHA, “Of the 17.2 million illicit drug users aged 18 or older in 2005, 12.9 million (74.8 percent) were employed either full or part time.” In addition, they found that 10-20 percent of work related fatalities test positive for drugs or alcohol. Alcohol and drug abuse affects people beyond the substance abuser. Substance abuse endangers your co-workers, employers, and those who have a relationship with your company, whether as consumers, clients, or partners. Workplace accidents due to alcohol and drug abuse can have far reaching implications.

When people think about workplace accidents related to alcohol or drugs, many consider someone who drives a vehicle under the influence. The tragedies associated with truck, car, airplane, or boat wrecks come on the news over and over again. Often times, the driver, pilot, or captain at fault tests positive for alcohol or drugs. Causing injury or death to others is tragedy enough, but these individuals also face criminal charges, civil suits, unemployment, and fractured personal relationships. These consequences are not just for those who use alcohol and drugs while driving, but any workplace. This includes people who operate heavy machinery, doctors, military personnel, paralegals, cooks, grocers, and anywhere else. If you are not clear-headed, you could injure yourself, your co-workers, your clients, and your community.

Despite the numerous safety protocols at the workplace, 40% of all industrial workplace fatalities are caused by substance abusers. These people may not realize the danger they create by using at work, or while recuperating from alcohol or drug abuse. An individual who is inebriated or hungover has decreased productivity and alertness. This means workplace accidents are more likely to happen. In fact, workplace accidents caused by inebriation or a hangover is five times more likely to injure someone. In addition, substance abusers are ten times more likely to miss work, negatively impacting themselves and others by jeopardizing their jobs and creating backlogs.

There are a few things you can do if you suspect your colleague or employer abuses drugs or alcohol. Depending on your relationship with the person, you can talk to him or her. Ask whether he or she recognizes the problem, and see if he or she is willing to get help. If you are unable to talk with the person, or if it does not seem to affect the person, you can reach out to others. Some companies have an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), which provides counseling and guidance tos employees. You can also discuss your concerns with a supervisor, and explain how you think drugs or alcohol affects workplace safety. Finally, you can contact your Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) field office anonymously to report work site safety concerns.

The possibility or occurrence of workplace related accidents due to alcohol or drug abuse is a serious issue for all involved. Whether you are chemically dependent or know someone in the workplace who is, complacency really is not an option. You may feel it is none of your business but the truth is you, your co-workers, the community at large, and the substance abuser are all at risk for injury or fatal accidents. Your workplace should be a safe space and the only way to prevent a tragedy is to take action.

https://bradfordhealth.com/workplace...alcohol-abuse/