Free Marijuana!

As in liberate the plant.

I strongly endorse the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act 2012 also known as Measure 80.

At the age of 15, having never smoked pot or even to my knowledge ever having any exposure to it, I decided that legalization made sense. While I have never wavered from that position, my understanding of the issue has continued to grow. Yesterday my support for the end of marijuana prohibition got stronger than I thought possible.

Yesterday I received my first ever random workplace drug screening. I have had many pre-employment drug screenings. This was my first random.

I made a few jokes. When my supervisor told me I had to go to HR for this I shook his hand and said, "It's been great working with you." He was not very amused which makes it funnier. When the HR staffer told me I had been selected at random and handed me some paperwork to fill out I raised my hands in the air and said, "I won! I won!" After the incident I go back to work, supervisor says he's glad to see me still around. "It's amazing what people will do when you slip them a $20," I said.

But it's not funny.

As anyone who has worked someplace that drug tests knows, there is always the question of how random the random drug screens really are. Certain individuals seem to get them more often while others seem to never get tested. This raised the question for me, was I a random pick or targeted?

Being in a position where I had to ponder that question has had a profound effect on me. Drug testing can be used as a harassment tool! I had felt this way previously. Now I could really feel it first hand. Even if they didn't mean to use it as such, that's how I experienced it.

Random workplace drug screens should be made illegal. They create a hostile work environment. A great step towards ending this harassment is available to Oregonians this fall.

Vote YES on 80!

And you'll be hearing a lot more on this topic from here on out. Work's actions have moved me from supporter to activist mode.

#vote80 #OCTA2012