Woman fights medical marijuana firing

Cristina Barbuto says state law should protect workers who use medical marijuana with a doctor’s certificate.

Cristina Barbuto was thrilled when she landed her new marketing job last year.

Her delight quickly evaporated when she was fired after her first day because a drug test revealed marijuana use. She lost her job even though she’d disclosed during her interview that she takes the drug, with a doctor’s legal permission, to ease the symptoms of a digestive disorder.

Now, the 34-year-old Brewster woman is fighting for her right to use medical marijuana at home and not be fired for it. Her lawyers on Friday filed a complaint with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination over her termination — a case that is believed to be the first of its kind in the state involving marijuana and employment, an agency spokesman said.

“This is something that needs to change,” Barbuto said. “I don’t...

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URL: 
http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/05/22/medical-marijuana-patient-files-discrimination-complaint-over-firing/iptEJe2A0TITWuoJggQgZL/story.html