The Reality of Cannabis in a Safety-Sensitive Job

Alex, a talented young surgeon, was thrilled to land a prestigious hospital position. But when reviewing the pre-employment paperwork, he saw the hospital’s zero-tolerance drug policy—including marijuana.

He hesitated. Alex had a medical marijuana card for chronic migraines. Traditional treatments hadn’t worked, but cannabis did. He wasn’t impaired at work, so was this really a problem?

As he considered his options, he wondered: Was there a way to balance medical relief with workplace rules, or would this cost him his dream job?