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Canadian workplaces are globally trail-blazing cannabis policies, with nearly half of private-sector employers imposing a blanket ban on cannabis use, says a Conference Board of Canada survey.

While legalization has pushed Canadian employers to address that reality — 76 per cent had updated their pot policies before the end of prohibition last October — many are still grappling with sensitive areas, said study senior researcher Monica Haberl.

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And the survey of 163 employers found 48 per cent have adopted no-use-at-anytime rules for their workers despite the drug’s legality, said the report titled Acting on the Cannabis Act.

“There’s a zero-tolerance for use there, not just on the job but at all times, and that’s because testing for cannabis isn’t perfect, they choose to be on the safer side,” said Haberl.

“In some cases, the employer would say, ‘in order to get a job, you can’t use cannabis.’ ”