How the Colorado Supreme Court just confused every employer in America about marijuana

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Earlier this week, the Colorado Supreme Court unanimously confirmed that although medical marijuana is legal, employers have the power to fire workers if they fail company-sponsored drug tests. Monday’s ruling is the latest in a series of decisions around the country denying job protection to state-sanctioned medical marijuana users who medicate off-duty. More than that, the decision is significant in that it sends a message to employers across other states wrangling with adopting laws to a nascent industry that is illegal under federal law.

Under federal law, marijuana is listed as a Schedule I drug—a drug with no acceptable medical use in treatment and a high potential for abuse. The U.S. Control Substance Act preempts any provision of state law that conflicts with the federal law. In the Colorado case, Brandon Coats used marijuana to help control his seizures associated with his quadriplegia. He had worked at Dish Network...

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URL: 
https://fortune.com/2015/06/17/how-the-colorado-supreme-court-just-confused-every-employer-in-america-about-marijuana/