Edible marijuana can come in many forms: baked goods, candy, oil emulsions, and tablets. Edible marijuana is becoming more common in the states that have legalized the drug use which poses a new challenge in the workplace. Twenty-eight states and Washington, D.C., have legalized marijuana for medical use; eight states have legalized it for recreational use.
The consumption of edible marijuana is less obvious to managers because it is odorless. In addition, those who ingest edible marijuana may find that the effects are more potent than if they had smoked it. Edible marijuana takes longer to start working (between a half hour to one hour), and the effects can last much longer than smoking the drug. In fact, the effects of edible marijuana can last four to 12 hours, depending on the dose.
Intoxicated by marijuana on the job remains prohibited in most states, allowing employers to enforce drug-free workplace policies. Medical marijuana state laws allows companies to restrict medical marijuana. Courts have ruled that medical marijuana users can be fired even if they are using the drug by prescription in accordance with state laws. Employers should include in their drug-free workplace policy how they will react to medical marijuana requests.
Reference: Loveland, E. (2/6/2017) Edible Marijuana: Issues for the Workplace. SHRM.org