by Norman Yakeleya,
Tulita, NT
Dear editor,
I read in the News/North a story ('Legal weed and the workplace', April 23) by reporter Tim Edwards.
Once cannabis becomes law it’s impacts will be very challenging and we don’t have the required resources in the communities.
For example, are you aware that marijuana can stay in the blood system for up to 30 days, depending on the user?
Can this call into question human rights, if the employer suspects someone is impaired or wants to do a test? Are the employers trained? What type of test in small communities are done and will hold up in the court system. Lawyers will be smacking their lips as these incidents are raised.
Recent research shows impairments from marijuana can be difficult to measure. The levels of potency in cannabis is ongoing. I don’t think someone would smoke or eat marijuana and think they can be at work, no more than someone drinking on the job.
For example, what about the air traffic controllers in small communities without any type of enforcement? Or any other other private businesses?
What are the United States – who have legalized marijuana – dealing with in the work force?
Will insurance rates go up after legislation? How many enforcement officers are going to enforce the new law?
Where will the support for private business be? How are we going to trust that workers are straight and not stoned?
So much more, and we must insist that the Trudeau government be held responsible for providing the dollars to deal with his party’s push to legalize marijuana, no one should just throw the weed out and tells us to deal with it, without giving the proper financial supports to do so.