Cal NORML has fought unfair drug testing practices on behalf of California cannabis consumers for decades, from publishing the authoritative California NORML Guide to Drug Testing to sponsoring AB 2188, the state law that now protects most California workers from discrimination based on off-the-job cannabis use. This page brings all of Cal NORML’s drug testing information together in one place.
Research has shown that drug testing doesn’t improve workplace safety or productivity, but it’s a great way to discriminate against marijuana smokers, even medical marijuana users. The most commonly used drug tests, urine and hair tests, detect non-psychoactive cannabis metabolites that can remain in the body for days or weeks after use, long after any effects have worn off. Impairment testing is a better option for safety-sensitive positions. The 2017 National Academy of Sciences report on the health effects of cannabis concluded: “There is insufficient evidence to support or refute a statistical association between general, nonmedical cannabis use and occupational accidents or injuries.”
Your rights changed on January 1, 2024. A Cal NORML–sponsored law (AB 2188 – GC 12954) prohibits most employers from refusing to hire, firing, or penalizing a person who has tested positive for non-psychoactive cannabis metabolites in their urine, hair, or bodily fluids. It allows employees who have experienced discrimination to institute civil action for damages. The law does not interfere with employers’ right to maintain a drug-free workplace: it allows tests that can indicate actual impairment on the job, such as computer-based performance tests and chemical tests for active THC in oral fluid, breath or blood. Federal employees and those in the building and construction trades are not protected. Read the full details on Cal NORML’s employment rights page.
DRUG TESTING TOPICS
Know Your Employment Rights as a Cannabis Consumer: What AB 2188 and SB 700 do and don’t protect, who is exempt, and how to file a complaint if you’ve been discriminated against.
Marijuana Drug Test Detection Times: How long cannabis can be detected in urine, blood, saliva, and hair, and why a positive test does not mean impairment.
Drug Testing Tips: Cal NORML’s practical advice if you’re facing a drug test on short notice.
Drug Testing News and Resources: News coverage, studies, and updates on drug testing policy.
Pain Patients and Drug Testing: Rights and information for patients whose doctors test for cannabis.
SUPPORT THIS WORK
Cal NORML led the multi-year fight that won these protections, and continues working to expand them. Join Cal NORML.