We all love gummies, don’t we? But have you thought about the gelatin-based sweet chews that we love? How did they originate? Most gummy candies include gelatin, corn syrup, starch, water, and flavoring agents, which give the candies their constituent sweet taste. Fryers of Lancashire were the first people who sold gelatin-based candies in 1864. Hans Riegel of Germany popularized candies in the 1920s. Later the company changed its name to Haribo and became the face of gummy bears.
Over the years, companies have done various experiments on candies. CBD gummies are a product of such investigations. Gummy candies infused with CBD are a trendy product in 2022. This article will shed light on how effective these gummy candies can be at one’s workplace, whether one should consume them at work, and whether it’s legal to destroy them. Without further delay, let’s jump into the topic.
Know More About CBD
An “organic compound” that people derive from the cannabis plant, known to have potential solutions to conditions like anxiety, stress, insomnia, pain, etc., is known as CBD. People also know it as cannabidiol, one of the 113 known cannabinoids in the cannabis plant. It is the second most abundant organic compound in the plant species after THC. Companies promote the extract as an herbal drug. The CBD industry is multiplying, and experts estimate it to reach $47 billion by 2028.
There are multiple ways of administering the extract. People use CBD-infused oils, creams, vape carts, and gummies. The extract is very popular among beginners because, unlike THC, it isn’t psychoactive, i.e., it doesn’t cause euphoric effects like dilution of space and time. The less potency and affordable price in the market also make it one of the favorite cannabinoid extracts in the current market. We will discuss the legal issues later, but one should know that not every state in the USA allows public use of the products.
CBD In The Workplace
CBD gummies promise to help with many problems, including social ones like anxiety, stress, and depression. The world is changing, and in the changing times, the employer’s requirement from its employees is also changing. By changing, we mean it’s increasing. Thus, employees need to stay up late at the office or home doing their work.
With the growing awareness of CBD gummies, more and more employees are seeking the help of cannabinoids to fight everyday stress. The overtime can lead to the seclusion of one from everyday social life, which leads to the development of anxiety, stress, and, if not treated, depression. It also shows them to use the products at their workplace. However, is it legal or ethical to do so at work? Let’s learn about it.
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Why Prohibit?
CBD gummies, in the USA, are a Schedule I drug. Many companies in the country have their workplace drug and alcohol policy, which may constrain anyone from using the extract while on the office premises. According to the Drug-free Workplace Act, 1988, employers should have a proper drug and alcohol policy. If any employee breaches the procedure, the consequences may be harsh. Although the extract doesn’t intoxicate the mind, it may cause euphoria at higher doses, making the employee lazy and willing to work. Employers may prohibit using the extract where the workload is heavy. Employees who use CBD for medical use and have reports and prescriptions for it get accommodation from the employer.
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Drug Test
Although workplaces do not use drug screening as a common practice, one should be aware that CBD may appear during a drug test. There have been instances and proof for the same. Slight traces of THC or marijuana-based compounds may appear in the test. Places carrying out safety-sensitive position work may use drug screening for their employees. They do this because the job demands its employees not to be impaired, or it may land the whole institution into trouble.
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What Should Employers Do?
Every employer must tell their employees why they are doing the drug test. In addition, they should timely and effectively discuss the policies with the employees and let them know what consequences one may face if a positive drug test. Employers must also communicate all the recent changes in the company’s policies and the status of legality of the extract in the state where the company exists. These are a few points employers should also consider when dealing with cannabis and cannabis-related products on the office premises.
Is CBD Legal?
The 2018 Farm Bill, passed during the rule of the Trump government, made the cultivation of industrial hemp and derivatives from hemp legal. It means that on a Federal level, the extract is legal. Although the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) marks CBD as a Schedule I drug, there is no restriction on selling, marketing, and buying CBD products nationally. But in the USA, apart from Federal laws, state laws are also superior.
Some states like Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, North and South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming have tight regulations within their territorial jurisdiction. The laws regarding the legality of CBD gummies keep changing in these states, and to the date of writing, these places have regulations. We recommend that one stay abreast of the news on how laws vary in their respective states. In addition, one should know the state laws before buying CBD products.
Final Words
Now you know that CBD, the second most abundant cannabinoid in the cannabis plant, is legal in most US states. As a result, employees are free to consume the same in those states. However, one should remember and learn about the company’s policies on drugs and alcohol. Most companies don’t allow the use of cannabinoid products in the workplace because of the side effects that one can observe, such as lethargy at work or even cognitive confusion, which can easily land a company in trouble. Is it ethical or not for the employee to decide, and where the companies already say it’s not honest, one shouldn’t consume it inside the premises because it would lead to a wrong impression. Therefore, we recommend that one enjoy the benefits of CBD gummies at home and not anywhere else.
