Massachusetts court rules in favor of woman fired for medical marijuana use Breaking News Jul 24, 2017

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has allowed a woman employee, fired for using medical marijuana, to sue her former employer for handicap discrimination. The court on July 17, 2017, ruled out the employer’s argument that the company followed the federal law under which possession of marijuana is illegal.

The court ruling stated that employers cannot enforce blanket anti-marijuana policies against employees who had a prescription for medical cannabis to treat their illnesses, media reports said. Chief Justice Ralph Gants wrote, “The fact that the employee’s possession of medical marijuana is in violation of federal law does not make it per se unreasonable as an accommodation.”

Cristina Barbuto, who had joined Advantage Sales and Marketing in 2014, was asked to leave the company only a day after her joining, as she did not pass the drug test. According to court documents, Barbuto had Crohn’s disease, which is a gastrointestinal condition associated with weight loss. While the condition left her with “little or no appetite,” she was also struggling to maintain her weight. She was prescribed marijuana to maintain a healthy weight.

Matthew Fogelman, Barbuto’s lawyer, referred to the ruling as a “groundbreaking decision.” He appreciated the highest court in Massachusetts for allowing the use of medically prescribed marijuana like any prescribed medication.

Currently, 28 U.S. states and the District of Columbia have legalized medical marijuana. In 2012, Massachusetts joined the states that approve the medicinal use of marijuana. Voters in the state went a step ahead and voted for the legalization of marijuana for recreational use in November the same year.

Dark side of marijuana use

Medical marijuana may be proving helpful for people with a certain medical condition but it has a dark side too. Being a highly addictive drug, cannabis misuse and abuse is linked to many physical and mental health problems. Marijuana affects parts of the brain, which may lead to changes in mood, difficulty with thinking and problem solving, impaired body movement and altered senses, such as seeing brighter colors.

Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the U.S. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), more than 22 million Americans aged 12 or older were using cannabis in 2015. Weed addiction is a serious health problem that requires prompt and expert medical attention at a drug rehab facility. Report early symptoms to avoid future complications as marijuana mixed with other substances, including alcohol, may increase the risk of overdose-related complications.

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