Nevada becomes first state to ban pre-employment marijuana tests

June 13, 2019

Last week, Nevada became the first state in the United States to ban nearly all pre-employment drug testing for marijuana. The law is expected to go into effect in January 2020, three years after the state legalized cannabis for recreational use.

Democratic Governor Steve Sisolak signed the bill into law on June 5 following the legislation’s smooth passage in the state Assembly and Senate. In a statement, Sisolak said that the law benefits Nevadans while maintaining “common-sense exceptions” for certain jobs.
“As our legal cannabis industry continues to flourish, it’s important to ensure that the door of economic opportunity remains open for all Nevadans. That’s why I was proud to sign AB132 into law, which contains common-sense exceptions for public safety and transportation professionals,” Sisolak said.

Nevada Assemblywoman Dina Neal, a primary sponsor of the legislation, said that when it comes to exceptions to the law the “focus is safety and [jobs that require] heavy operations of equipment.”

“I didn’t want people to be discriminated against about the lawful use of marijuana,” Neal said. “That was my purpose.”

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