Amazon relaxes marijuana policies as it pushes support for federal legalization

(Gray News) - Amazon has announced several policy changes regarding marijuana use, and the tech giant is also planning to push for federal legalization of the drug.

Amazon senior vice president of human resources Beth Galetti wrote on the company’s website Tuesday that employees and applicants who were terminated or denied employment because of drug screenings will once again be eligible for jobs. This does not include positions regulated by the Department of Transportation.

Galetti cited the increased legalization at the state level and the disproportionate impact pre-employment marijuana testing has on people of color as reasons for the policy changes.

“Pre-employment marijuana testing has disproportionately affected communities of color by stalling job placement and, by extension, economic growth, and we believe this inequitable treatment is unacceptable,” Galetti wrote.

Amazon has announced its support for two pieces of federal legislation that would decriminalize marijuana and remove it from the Controlled Substances Act. The bills would also expunge federal non-violent marijuana crimes.

The company refrained from stating its opinion on certain aspects of the two bills, including taxation and interstate commerce.

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