Ban On Pre-Employment Marijuana Testing (Essay Sample)

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Text Analysis Essay
An article by Kyle Jaeger titled New York City Ban On Pre-Employment Marijuana Testing Takes Effect, But Not For All Workers was published on the Marijuana Moment on 11th May 2020. According to the article, the city of New York lifted a ban on pre-employment testing related to marijuana. However, there were exemptions primarily for positions that are considered security-sensitive. The city also enabled the New York City on Human Rights the mandate to expand the list of exempted job descriptions or occupations. Most importantly, there are a number of drug-testing industry players that are keen on expanding the list of exempted occupations. Jaeger reveals this by quoting statements made by National Drug and Alcohol Screening Association and Quest Diagnostics. The overall goal of the article is to educate the reader on the legislative changes, occupations covered and exempted, and the opinions of parties with vested interests.
In the article, Jaeger begins by explaining the change in New York City legislation requiring employers to no longer require mandatory marijuana drug testing for job applicants. However, Jaeger notes that positions in the security sector and other occupations where intoxicants pose high risks are not covered by the new legislation (Jaeger). Jaeger proceeds to reveal the sentiments of parties with vested interests in the legislation. Drug testing and screening organizations are revealed to be in favor of expanding the list where marijuana testing is applicable. Organizations covering the exempted occupations laud the exemptions provided by the legislation. Reform advocates and the general public have celebrated the legislation and some view it as an initial step towards the legalization of marijuana in New York.
Jaeger educates the reader about the change in legislation by explaining how the City Council approved the ban in 2019 and the circumstances under which it was enacted. The author summarizes the piece of legislation by outlining that job candidates are no longer required to undertake mandatory marijuana drug tests except when the positions are sensitive to the safety of other people (Jaeger). The author identifies provisions in the legislation allowing NYCCHR to expand the list of exempted occupations. The author also gives examples of occupations that are exempted from the ban such as workers in the power and utility gas sector, drivers, construction workers, and operators of heavy machinery.
The author outlines the opinions of parties with vested interest in the legislation. There are three groups of people identified. Those in full support of the ban include reform advocates and the general public. Reform advocates view the ban as a step in the direction of finally approving consumption of marijuana in the city (Jaeger). The second group comprises of employers in the exempted job categories such as the American Automobile Association who expressed support for the legislation’s exemptions. Finally, Jaeger notes that companies and organizations in the drug testing business are largely displeased by the legislation and are in favor of expanding the list of the exempted occupations (Jaeger). Companies such as Quest Diagnostics are of the view that employers should have a right to establish safer working places by being allowed to drug-test job applicants.
Jaeger goes to great lengths to explain how the city of New York has banned pre-employment marijuana testing which is a subject of great public interest. By revealing the opinions of all stakeholders in the legislation, Jaeger leaves room for debate regarding various issues (Jaeger). For example, the reader is left wondering about the role played by drug-testing organizations and companies in lobbying for various forms of legislations and the motives behind their activities. The author also shines a ray of hope for New Yorkers in favor of the long term goal of marijuana legalization in the city and the state. Most importantly, Jaeger recognizes and explains