Amazon nixes drug testing for new hires

Amazon.com Inc. on Tuesday announced it is adjusting its drug testing policy for employees in light of emerging state laws that permit marijuana for recreational use.

Dave Clark, CEO of Worldwide Consumer for Seattle-based Amazon, wrote in a blog post that while “(i)n the past, like many employers, we’ve disqualified people from working at Amazon if they tested positive for marijuana use” and that the company is changing course: “We will no longer include marijuana in our comprehensive drug screening program for any positions not regulated by the Department of Transportation, and will instead treat it the same as alcohol use. We will continue to do impairment checks on the job and will test for all drugs and alcohol after any incident.”

Mr. Clark added that the company’s public policy team is supporting The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act of 2021, pending federal legislation that would legalize marijuana, expunge criminal records and invest in impacted communities.