Recreational or Medical” Marijuana vs FAA/DOT Drug Testing
Nearly 50 percent of the United States currently has laws legalizing marijuana in some form. (See Map.)
How does this impact your repair station? Technically it doesn’t, if your operation performs maintenance on commercial aircraft operations including air tour for hire.
The Department of Transportation and the FAA maintain requirements that all “safety-sensitive or covered” employees (e.g., A&P Technicians, Sheet Metal Mechanics, Avionics Technicians) be subject to drug and alcohol testing. Further, regardless if marijuana was used for recreational or medicinal purposes in a state that has “legalized” the activity, detection of use will result in a positive drug test.
For more information:
http://www.dot.gov/odapc/dot-recreational-marijuana-notice
NATA Compliance Services (NATACS) is the aviation industry’s only full-service employee background investigation and HR-compliance company and an ARSA preferred provider. To learn more, visit http://info.natacs.aero.
