By On June 22nd, Tony Dixon, Deputy Commissioner for Business Operations of the United States Forest Service (USFS) said: statement Investigating the relationship and effects of cannabis on federal employees.
“Over the past decade or so, our view of marijuana use has fundamentally changed.” Dixon said. “Many states have legalized the use of marijuana for medical purposes, and some have allowed recreational use in much the same way as tobacco and alcohol products. But what does that do to the federal government?” Huh?」
As with any federal agency, USFS employees are subject to the same federal laws as other employees. But he also explained the ongoing problem of federal employees not passing drug tests. “As a result of the confusion surrounding these state-by-state changes, there has been a notable increase in the number of employees failing drug tests.” He said. “These results are related to the legalization of marijuana and have led to corrective actions, including suspensions and terminations.”
Depending on the agency, some people will be disqualified if they have consumed cannabis within one year, and up to five years. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) previously required applicants to abstain from cannabis for up to three years to be eligible for employment, but that was changed to one year in July 2021.
The U.S. Secret Service once allowed applicants under the age of 24 to apply for jobs if they had not used cannabis for one year, and applicants over the age of 28 had been using cannabis for at least five years. It was necessary not to. However, the agency updated its rules in May to allow it to review applications even for people who have consumed hemp-derived cannabis products within the year before filing.
But Dixon said cannabis can interfere with employees’ work. “I value all of my colleagues and want them to be able to continue doing what they love in a safe environment,” he added. “I don’t want to see someone penalized or even lose their job for something easily avoided.”
“Many Forest Service employees are already working in hazardous environments in service to their communities,” he continued. “We want you to know how this choice can negatively affect you for the rest of your life. I wanted to remind everyone of expectations.”
Dixon also mentioned CBD and warned that some products incorrectly label products containing trace amounts of THC, which could result in a positive drug test. He also provides information on the Department of Substance Abuse and Mental Health’s National Helpline and his online resource for treatment of “people struggling with substance abuse.”[c]sion. ”
“Above all, I ultimately want to ensure that no one’s employment is affected or interrupted by circumstances within our control,” Dixon concluded. “Remember, as a federal employee, you are always subject to federal law, regardless of state.”
Dixon suggests that federal employees should refrain from cannabis use, citing substance abuse services when that’s difficult, but some studies show that many drugs are used to treat certain forms of addiction. Evidence has been found that drugs can be used.
Research results published in JAMAPsychiatry In August 2022, it was discovered that psilocybin could be used to treat alcohol abuse disorder.
In October 2022, a study result was published in October 2022. Substance use and misuse Four of the five patients in the study said they reported reduced or decreased opioid use after using medical cannabis. “The findings suggest that shortly after medical cannabis legalization, some medical cannabis patients reduced their opioid use without compromising quality of life or health functioning,” the researchers explained. .
In March, researchers reported that CBD helped curb opioid addiction in female rats in a study published in the journal Addiction Neuroscience. “The ability of [whole-plant extract] Reducing opioid reward and drug-seeking behavior is highly potent and likely to be of great clinical utility,” the researchers wrote.
Another study published in the journal Expert review of neurotherapeutic drugs Earlier this year, it was also found that many chronic pain patients who took cannabis for six months reduced their opioid use. The researchers also found that “patients who were prescribed either the oil or both types of CBMP had reduced anxiety and improved ability to carry out daily activities,” the authors wrote.
