Arizona has legalized both medical and recreational cannabis use. The state provides certain protections for employees who use medical cannabis, but employers also have rights to manage cannabis use among their workforce.
Legal Status: Medical and Recreational
Protections for Medicinal Users & Exceptions:
Arizona law prohibits employers from discriminating against registered qualifying patients based solely on their status or positive drug tests for cannabis components or metabolites. However, exceptions exist for certain situations, such as impairment at work or safety-sensitive positions.
Protections for Recreational Users & Exceptions:
While recreational cannabis is legal in Arizona, employers can maintain drug-free workplaces and establish policies that restrict employee cannabis use. The law does not require employers to allow or accommodate recreational cannabis use on their premises.
Restrictions on Testing for Cannabis:
A positive test result for cannabis alone cannot be the sole basis for discrimination by an employer.
Miscellaneous:
Safety-sensitive positions and impairment at work are factors that may allow employers to take action against employees using cannabis. Employers also have the authority to establish and enforce drug testing policies.