Research tells us that approximately 3.8% of the world’s population (or 158.8 million people) uses marijuana. In 2023, about 17% of Americans reported smoking marijuana, which was higher than in previous years. And — here’s the really concerning part — nearly one-third of professionals (29%) in the United States admitted to using cannabis at work, according to an online survey of more than 2,500 individuals in April of 2022.

The legalization of marijuana for both medicinal and recreational use is widespread across the United States. We live in an era of remote working. What, then, does this mean for employers? How might this change how they hire and manage employees? Furthermore, should they continue to test for marijuana? If so, what happens if they see a rise in positive drug test results?