HR
professionals have been warned to clarify their organisation’s position on
cannabis use at work following the Government’s decision to make possession of
the drug a non-arrestable offence.
Fran
Wilson, HR adviser at the CIPD, advised the profession to inform staff that
despite re-classification of cannabis to a class C drug, its use is still
illegal.
She
said: "It is still a perception-changing drug so it would not be safe for
an employee to drive machinery after use. Companies will have formal alcohol
and drugs policies and HR must make sure it is communicated to staff that the
use of cannabis comes under that policy."
Paul
Hunter, managing director of Altrix Healthcare, believes that HR does not
recognise the "growing problem" of social drug use by staff and is
concerned the profession’s ignorance could lead to safety and performance
problems. "Many employers in this country have yet to wake up to the fact
that social drug use is a spiralling problem," he said.
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"Staff
might feel at liberty to smoke a joint during an office lunch, regardless of
the impact this will have on their ability to work during the afternoon. The
sooner HR professionals realise this the better."
Hunter
advised employers to check employee smoking areas for evidence of cannabis use.
