Pubdate: Thu, 15 Jul 2010
Source: Pacific Daily News (US GU)
Copyright: 2010 Pacific Daily News
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Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1122
Author: Laura Matthews

EMPLOYERS COUNCIL OPPOSES MEDICAL MARIJUANA

The board of directors and members of The Employers Council are
opposing a bill that would regulate the use of marijuana for medicinal
purposes.

Andrew P. Andrus, executive director of The Employers Council, said
the council opposes "The Compassionate Health Care Act of 2010," or
Bill 423, because employers are "desperately" trying to maintain safe,
healthy working environments.

"Marijuana is much more readily accessible," Andrus said. He was the
only person to testify about the bill at a public hearing at the
Legislature yesterday. "We just don"t need another route to
mind-altering drugs in the workplace or society in general."

Andrus, who testified on behalf of the council's board of directors
and members, told lawmakers that the bill is "stacked with a multitude
of opinions, statistics and sources of apparent authority" to support
the foothold for the drug.

He added that for a long time marijuana has been considered a
detriment to workplace safety and society as a whole. If the bill's
intent is to overwhelm opposition and get others to join the
bandwagon, Andrus said, many aren't easily swayed.

"All employees deserve to feel safe in their work environments and
especially when working in places with hazardous equipment," Andrus
said. "Accordingly, Bill 423 is of special concern to our employers."

Andrus said medical marijuana users in the workplace will undoubtedly
pose a problem when it comes to worker's compensation insurance
provided by employers for on-the-job injuries.

"Worker's compensation policies typically exclude any employee who is
impaired when injured," he said. "This includes impairments because of
the use of illegal drugs, abuse of prescription drugs, and alcohol use
on the job."

According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, marijuana is a
Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act. Schedule I
drugs are classified as having a high potential for abuse, according
to the website.

Last month, Sen. Rory Respicio introduced Bill 423 to regulate the
recommending and certifying of medicinal marijuana by a licensed
physician. The measure proposes the establishing "compassionate
health-care centers" that will grow, process and dispense cannabis by
prescription only.

Respicio's bill seeks to help people who are suffering from
debilitating, chronic and painful illnesses and conditions. The bill
noted that for licensed physicians to recommend and prescribe
medicinal marijuana to patients, those patients would have to register
with the Department of Public Health and Social Services, and be
certified as having a debilitating medical condition.

Respicio said he didn't attend yesterday's meeting because the
Committee on Health and Human Services didn't give the various
stakeholders sufficient time to prepare for this public hearing.
Another hearing will be held on July 22.

He added that the only testimony yesterday gave a "very inaccurate"
presentation of the contents the bill, as the Employers Council
expressed concerns about cannabis in the workplace, while failing to
note that Bill 423 has strong language that prohibits cannabis use in
any public place.

Respicio added that the volume of the bill is a result of the amount
of work that went into it.

"I did watch the presentation made by the Executive Director of the
Employers Council and I am sending him a letter to address his
concerns regarding this bill," Respicio said.
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MAP posted-by: Matt