More Businesses Are Relaxing Hiring Restrictions over Marijuana Use

Many employers are dropping marijuana from the drug tests they require of prospective employees. Marijuana testing—a fixture at large American employers for at least 30 years—excludes too many potential workers, experts say, at a time when filling jobs is more challenging than it has been in nearly two decades. Though still in its early stages, the shift away from marijuana testing appears likely to accelerate. More states are legalizing cannabis for recreational use; Michigan could become the 10th state to do so in November. There is no definitive data on how many companies conduct drug tests, though the Society for Human Resource Management found in a survey that 57 percent do so, reports the Associated Press .