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Departments “may not take any adverse action against any officers because they do or do not use cannabis off duty,” acting New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin wrote in a memo to police chiefs and directors at the local, county and state level.
Employers also cannot fire or refuse to hire workers “solely due to the presence of cannabinoid metabolites in the employee’s bodily fluid,” Platkin noted.
“But to be clear,' he added, "there should be zero tolerance for cannabis use, possession, or intoxication while performing the duties of a law enforcement officer. And there should be zero tolerance for unregulated marijuana consumption by officers at any time, on or off duty.
“Law enforcement agencies shall continue to maintain a drug- and alcohol-free workplace, which prohibition includes marijuana/cannabis whether regulated or illicit,” ,” the attorney general wrote. “The safety of our communities and our officers demands no less.”
Recreational reefer sales begin at 13 dispensaries in New Jersey on Thursday, April 21.
Consuming marijuana or cannabis products, including for medical reasons, is still illegal federally.
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