Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) last week issued an executive order to protect workers from cannabis-related workplace penalties. The order notes that the state is facing a worker shortage and that “the exclusion of people from the workforce because of marijuana-related activities that are lawful in Colorado, but illegal in other states, hinders” the state and its economy.
“No one who lawfully consumes, possesses, cultivates or processes marijuana pursuant to Colorado law should be subject to professional sanctions or denied a professional license in Colorado. This includes individuals who consume, possess, cultivate or process marijuana in another state in a manner that would be legal in Colorado. Colorado will not cooperate with out-of-state investigations related to disciplinary action against a professional license, certification, or credential for marijuana-related actions that are lawful in our State.” — Polis in the executive order
The order requires the Colorado Department of Revenue’s Specialized Business Group, within 90 days, to work with all programs and boards of professional licensure it oversees to establish policies and create and issue rules “to ensure that no person shall be subject to disciplinary action against a professional license or disqualified from professional licensure for any civil or criminal judgment, discipline, or other sanction threatened or imposed under the laws of another state regarding consumption, possession, cultivation or processing of marijuana so long as the actions are lawful and consistent with professional conduct and standards of care within the State of Colorado.”
The order provides a similar directive to the Department of Revenue’s Marijuana Enforcement Division and Department of Regulatory Agencies, and bars them from providing “information or data,” or expending “time, money, facilities, property, equipment, personnel or other resources to assist or further any investigation or proceeding initiated in or by another state that seeks to impose sanctions upon a person’s professional license for the lawful consumption, possession, cultivation or processing of marijuana in Colorado.”
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