Nevada’s law enforcement regulators propose to change the state’s policy on employment so that previous marijuana possession convictions in amounts now legal will no longer disqualify police recruits.
The Nevada Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission (POST) submitted the proposed changes days after the members voted for to continue rulemaking processes for potential reforms earlier in the month.
According to the current state guidelines, people who have been “convicted of a crime involving morality turpitude, or the illegal use, sale, or possession of controlled substances” are not eligible for employment as peace officers.
The commission now proposes to add language which carves an exception to this rule for “marijuana possession or use convictions that would not be prosecutable as of January 1, 2020.”
This would not mean that officers can use cannabis duty after they have been hired, but it is a major policy change. Especially since the current rules emphasize the zero-tolerance for marijuana.
The current administration manual states that “as with any psychoactive substance, POST strongly believe there is no place for marijuana use in the policing career.” POST encourages all law enforcement agencies in the state to adopt policies that prohibit the use of marijuana for recreational or medical purposes, whether on or off duty.
The new regulation may even go so far as to state that those who only possess a medical cannabis card issued by the state are “prohibited” from attending POST training, including the Basic Training Academy.
Nevada law enforcement, like many other agencies and businesses, has struggled with the employment policy for cannabis since the state legalized adult use.
A Las Vegas policeman was fired in 2019 after testing positive for THC-metabolites. He sued the department and in 2021 a district court judge ruled that zero tolerance policy for cannabis is “untenable.” While agreeing with plaintiff, state statutes protect employees’ use of marijuana lawfully outside of the workplace.
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POST isn’t the only state regulatory body that’s reviewing cannabis policy.
Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC), recently voted to submit a proposed regulation amendment to the Governor , which would protect athletes against being penalized for using or possessing cannabis in compliance with state laws.
NSAC, the body that regulates unarmed combat in the state, voted to end penalizing professional fighters who test positive for marijuana by 2021. However, the policy is not yet incorporated into the code. The new amendment will change that.
The Assembly of the Nevada Legislature recently passed a resolution calling on Congress to legalize cannabis. It was sent to the state Senate.
The lawmakers have also adopted a proposition to increase the state’s cannabis possession limit, and remove barriers for employment in the marijuana sector.
The Senate Health and Human Services Committee passed a revised bill last month that would establish a new group to study psychedelics and create a plan for regulated access to therapeutic purposes.
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The first time that Marijuana Moment was published, the post Nevada Law Enforcement officials seek to loosen marijuana rules for police applicants.
