Part 1: Medical use of cannabis oil, what the new law says!

Virginia’s new law prohibits employers from discharging, disciplining, or discriminating against an employee for the employee’s lawful use of cannabis oil.

Virginia recently enacted a new law that makes it unlawful for employers to discharge, discipline or discriminate against an employee for the employee’s lawful use of “cannabis oil.”  In order for the use to be lawful, it must be obtained pursuant to a valid written certification issued by a medical practitioner, who has registered to write such certifications with the Board of Pharmacy, for the treatment or to eliminate the symptoms of a person’s diagnosed conditions or disease. In addition, the patient with the certification must also register with the Board of Pharmacy as well as obtain the cannabis oil from one of the five registered medical cannabis pharmaceutical processor dispensaries in Virginia.  In the event that an employer has an employee that has a medical condition for which they have lawfully obtained cannabis oil pursuant to the above-described process, the employer may not discharge, discipline or discriminate against such employee for the employee’s lawful use of cannabis oil.  It is important to note that the new law does not protect those who are using cannabis products recreationally or who are using cannabis products for medicinal purposes but have not complied with the proper procedures required by the law.

That leads us to the next question – what is Cannabis oil?

The new law defines cannabis oil as “any formulation of processed Cannabis plant extract, which may include industrial hemp extract acquired by a pharmaceutical processor … or a dilution of the resin of a Cannabis plant that contains at least five milligrams of cannabidiol (CBD) or tetrahydrocannabinol acid (THC-A) and no more than 10 milligrams of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) per dose.” As the purpose of the Cannabis Oil under this law is to treat medical conditions, the law is very specific as to the content of cannabis products.

Cannabis oil should not be confused with CBD products available without a prescription and represented as having low amounts of THC. You can go to stores now where you may have CBD oils or cannabis products that are the kind that are not controlled and regulated by a medical cannabis pharmaceutical processor dispensary as part of a medicinal remedy. The use of these cannabis products are not what this law is intended to protect. If you have somebody who goes to a local store and buys some CBD product and then ends up in some circumstance where they test positive for marijuana, that’s not protected. It is the use related to medicinal use and only if the proper procedures are followed.

If an employee’s work is impaired by the use of medicinal cannabis, Employers may still take adverse action.

Employer’s still retain the ability to take adverse employment action against an employee with a medical certification if the employee’s work is impaired caused by the use of cannabis oil.  Employers may also prohibit possession of cannabis oil during work hours.

Please contact Kristina Keech Spitler, kspitler@vfnlaw.com or 703-618-3205 should you have any questions or need assistance[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]