Making his 4th appearance on the Best of Success stage, Trent Cotney’s presentation at this year’s conference detailed how marijuana legalization, both recreational and medicinal, is impacting the roofing industry. Given how quickly the issue has evolved on a national scale with more and more states easing restrictions on marijuana use, he explained the importance of keeping up to date with the new laws and adapting to them.
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“It’s a cultural change, and it’s in your face,” he said. Given that almost every state has some form of medicinal marijuana law, Cotney explained that it isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Medicinal marijuana cards can be administered for any number of medical conditions, he explained, and, most importantly, if a physician believes that the health benefits outweigh the safety risks, they’re entitled to issue a card.
He then jumped into what employers need to do in order to protect themselves from these laws. As with anything, there are limitations on usage, and safety always comes first he explained. “Think carefully about how you craft safety policies and employee manuals,” Cotney said. He explained marijuana is tricky in regulation due to the fact that it can remain in the system for several weeks. Meaning, it’s nearly impossible to pinpoint exactly when usage occurred. In order to avoid potential discrepancies, Cotney recommended always having two employees present when you're reprimanding someone for suspected drug use. He detailed the importance documenting everything and having a witness to back up and reiterate what you’ve said. “Ultimately, the party with the best paper wins,” he said.
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