Washington Bans Employers from Refusing to Hire for Cannabis Use

New state law prohibits discrimination against potential employees who use marijuana

Apr. 9, 2026 at 10:55pm

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A minimalist, high-end studio still life photograph featuring a clean, modern desk with a laptop, a pen, and a small potted plant, conceptually representing the abstract idea of employment and workplace policies around cannabis use.A new Washington state law prohibits employers from refusing to hire job applicants due to their legal use of cannabis, reflecting the state's progressive stance on workplace policies around marijuana.Washington Today

Washington state has passed a new law that prohibits employers from refusing to hire job applicants due to their use of cannabis. The law, which took effect in 2024, states that pre-employment drug testing may include cannabis, but positive results cannot be shared with employers. This marks a significant shift in the state's cannabis policies, as Washington was an early adopter of both medical and recreational marijuana legalization.

Why it matters

As more states legalize cannabis, there is an ongoing debate around workplace policies and the rights of employees who use marijuana, even in states where it is legal. This new Washington law aims to protect job seekers from discrimination based on their legal cannabis use, reflecting the state's progressive stance on the issue.

The details

The new Washington law prohibits employers from refusing to hire or otherwise discriminating against potential employees due to their use of cannabis. While employers can still conduct pre-employment drug testing that includes cannabis, they are not allowed to share positive results with the employer. This represents an important shift in the state's cannabis policies, as Washington was an early adopter of both medical and recreational marijuana legalization.

  • The new law took effect in 2024.

The players

Washington State

The Evergreen State, which was among the first to legalize both medical and recreational cannabis usage.

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The takeaway

This new law in Washington reflects the state's progressive stance on cannabis and aims to protect job seekers from discrimination based on their legal use of marijuana. As more states legalize cannabis, similar workplace policies are likely to emerge in other parts of the country.