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Initiative 502: Marijuana Goes Mainstream, but Not in the Workplace

December 2012
Employment Law Notes
Today is the day Washington’s voter-approved Initiative 502 (“I-502”) goes into effect, which decriminalizes certain cultivation, sale, possession, and use of marijuana. It is clear that I-502 will drastically impact law enforcement in Washington State where marijuana use is concerned. I-502 also authorizes the Washington State Liquor Control Board to regulate and tax marijuana, thereby requiring the creation and implementation of new tightly-regulated and licensed systems (similar to those used to control alcohol). Despite all these changes, employers may happily take note of one area that I-502 does not touch: the workplace.