Amazon Supports Efforts To Reform Federal Cannabis Policy & Advocacy For Equitable Workplaces

Amazon AMZN released a statement updating the company's position on pre-employment cannabis testing, SAFE banking, federal marijuana legalization and expungement while reiterating that its zero tolerance for impairment while working has not changed. 

"We are enthused by the notable momentum in the country toward recognizing that today’s status quo is unfair and untenable. We look forward to working with Congress and other supporters to secure necessary reform of the nation’s cannabis laws," per Amazon's June 8, 2023 statement.

Amazon's update on advocacy for equitable workplaces:

In June 2021, we announced that Amazon would exclude marijuana from our comprehensive pre-employment drug screening program for unregulated positions (e.g., positions not regulated by the Department of Transportation), and those not within Amazon Air. We also reinstated the employment eligibility for former employees and applicants who were previously terminated or deferred during random or pre-employment marijuana screenings.

We made these changes for a few reasons. First, we recognized that an increasing number of states are moving to some level of cannabis legalization—making it difficult to implement an equitable, consistent, and national pre-employment marijuana testing program. Second, publicly available national data indicates that pre-employment marijuana testing disproportionately impacts people of color and acts as a barrier to employment. And third, Amazon’s pace of growth means that we are always looking to hire great new team members, and we’ve found that eliminating pre-employment testing for cannabis allows us to expand our applicant pool.

Given our previous support for legalizing cannabis at the federal level, as well as expunging certain criminal records and investing in impacted businesses and communities, Amazon announced our support for the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act of 2021 (MORE Act) and the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act; read our comments on that legislation. Most recently, we endorsed the States Reform Act, a Republican-led bill offering comprehensive reform that speaks to the emergence of a bipartisan consensus that it is time to end the federal prohibition of cannabis.

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. As we shared earlier this year, we aim to become Earth’s Best Employer, and as part of that journey, we know that our local communities and future generations need us to be better every day—thus the creation of our new Leadership Principle, Success and Scale Bring Broad Responsibility. Together, these principles speak to our responsibility to effect change and are our impetus for both driving for societal change and maintaining the right internal policies to ensure a great workplace with equitable and consistent hiring practices for all candidates. That’s why we strongly believe the time has come to reform the nation’s cannabis policy, and we are committed to helping lead the effort.

We remain committed to the safety of our employees and the general public. In addition to following all Department of Transportation regulations, our policy on zero tolerance for impairment while working has not changed. If a delivery associate is impaired at work and tests positive post-accident or due to reasonable suspicion, that person would no longer be permitted to perform services for Amazon. In addition, Amazon Pharmacy conducts comprehensive drug testing for employees, including screenings for marijuana, to ensure full compliance with industry standards, regulations, and accreditation.

We are enthused by the notable momentum in the country toward recognizing that today’s status quo is unfair and untenable. We look forward to working with Congress and other supporters to secure necessary reform of the nation’s cannabis laws.