Getting fired for smoking weed isn’t the only issue for New Jersey police. There are also issues related to mental health and the stress of the job.
Legalization of Recreational Marijuana
Until a couple of years ago, New Jersey law prohibited police officers from using marijuana when they were off duty. This was a common-sense measure to protect the public from harm. The law also provided guidelines for police to follow to ensure they are not impaired while on the job.
Now, the state is taking a step forward in marijuana policy reform. Acting Attorney General Matt Platkin released a memo reminding police chiefs of their legal rights. In addition, the New Jersey legislature is considering whether to expand the law to include certain safety-sensitive professions, like firefighters and law enforcement officers.
According to Acting Attorney General Matt Platkin, the state’s legal marijuana law is “the best example of the government protecting its citizens.” The law provides guidelines for police to follow when they suspect a colleague is using marijuana. The law also prohibits discriminating against employees for using recreational marijuana.
New Jersey’s recreational marijuana law also allows law enforcement officers to purchase marijuana when it’s legal. And the law prohibits employers from punishing employees for using recreational marijuana when they are off duty.
Stress And Anxiety in Police Jobs
Those working in law enforcement face unique challenges. In addition to working irregular hours and putting lives on the line, officers must deal with a high level of physical and emotional stress. Police stress is associated with heart disease and suicidal thoughts.
Occupational stressors associated with police work can be classified into four categories: threats to officer safety, organizational pressure, job insecurity, and external stressors. Identifying the most stressors and mitigating their impact is important. Fortunately, there are some effective coping strategies for police stress.
The top five police stressors are exposure to battered children, physical attacks on one’s person, responding to family disputes, knowing an offender, and killing someone in the line of duty. These events are ranked by their mean stress rating and frequency of occurrence in the past month.
Women police officers reported significantly higher stress ratings than men. They also reported a greater recurrence of stressors related to their jobs, such as public criticism of the police, political pressure from within the department, and court appearances on a day off.
Balancing Safety Needs of The Department With Privacy Considerations For Off-Duty Officers
Several states have legalized cannabis, but only five of them have laws allowing their police officers to smoke it off-duty. New Jersey is one of them. In fact, a new law that passed in the state has opened up a debate over whether or not police can smoke marijuana.
The law does not specifically mention police officers, but several state lawmakers are objecting to the use of cannabis by public safety workers. Some big-city mayors, including Jersey City’s Steven Fulop, say they won’t tolerate police using marijuana off the clock. However, others are more adamant that police should be allowed to smoke marijuana.
The law has opened up Pandora’s box of questions. Lawmakers, police chiefs, and attorneys are all trying to figure out the best way to implement a cannabis legalization policy in New Jersey. The state’s largest police union, the New Jersey State Policemen’s Benevolent Association, is one of the groups that’s advising its members to hold off on using marijuana until legal concerns are resolved.
Laws Prohibiting Discrimination Against Employees Who Use Marijuana
Despite federal prohibition, many states have enacted statutes prohibiting discrimination against employees who use marijuana. These laws may not require employers to accommodate marijuana use in the workplace, but they may affect how employers handle certain workplace issues.
For instance, in California, employers are not permitted to make employment decisions based on positive marijuana test results. Instead, employers have an affirmative obligation to provide reasonable accommodations. In the event that a positive test result leads to a termination, employers have the ability to reinstate the employee.
In New Jersey, employers are prohibited from discriminating against employees who use marijuana. Specifically, employers may not discriminate against workers who use medical marijuana, and they may not discriminate against workers who use marijuana outside of work hours.
While this legislation prohibits discrimination based on medical marijuana use, it does not prohibit discrimination based on recreational marijuana use. Employers should therefore consider training managers and supervisors on how to identify impairment. They should also review their current policies to ensure that they do not discriminate against workers who use marijuana.
