By "Radical" Russ Belville on July 3, 2009
(WOWT) The Nebraska Supreme Court upheld the finding of a lower court, ruling Thursday that a secretary who worked for a warden in the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services should not have been fired for smoking marijuana.
John Ahmann by all accounts was a good worker, but when he was randomly selected for a drug test, he tested positive for having used marijuana and was fired by the state.
Ahmann and his union went to court noting that the drug use had been during off-hours, that it had not impacted Ahmann’s “spotless” work performance and that Ahmann had expressed a willingness to stop using marijuana.
The lower court agreed that while the state might discipline Ahmann in some fashion, firing was too severe and Nebraska’s high court agreed.
Posted in ACTIVISM, LITIGATION, SOCIETY | Tagged John Ahmann, Nebraska, Supreme Court
I am the host of the NORML SHOW LIVE and The NORML Stash Blog. I'm married, live in Portland, Oregon, and I am a registered medical marijuana caregiver in this state. I've worked days as an IT geek and nights as a professional musician. Previously, I have been the host of my own political talk radio show on satellite radio. I've been the High Times "Freedom Fighter of the Month" for my work producing Oregon NORML's TV show, "A Cannabis Community Forum", and for helping to institute Portland's wildly successful medical marijuana cardholders meetings, where we help sick and disabled Oregonians acquire cannabis plant starts, learn gardening, and understand the medical marijuana law. I've dedicated my life to bringing an end to adult marijuana prohibition and re-legalizing cannabis hemp, and I'm honored to be chosen by NORML to be our daily voice.
I am impressed with the Nebraska Supreme court on this because this is the beginning of logic instead of firing…We herb users are very often the best qualified or most skilled….screw this biased war on this wonderful herb.
I truly wish every american would say no to piss tests, than it couldnt be used and this rubbish policy would be gone from our sight.
I was mad at first just the fact he got fired but then after the story sunk in its a dam shame that after all this to get a court to say it was wrong, he still had to “Express a willingness to quit using marijuana” what is this crap, if the point was that he used off hours and that was the main point of the judgment, why did he have to throw in that he will quit to save his job, basicly, WHY???
The whole reson we all fight is that we want fair treatment when it comes to our choice to use marijuana, right? And just like the nightly beer drinker or wine lover we shouldnt have to answer to anyone for our choice.
Shouldn’t have to pee in the first place.
Good thing the courts are on his side this time.
it’s unfortunate that the current justice system uses cannabis to exact as much money as possible from decent working folk, but empowering to see judiciary showing reason in employment vs thc-cooh detection.