As drug legalization gains traction across the U.S., drug testing laws vary by state. Only five states have strong workplace drug testing legislation, and 11 states lack any laws on the matter. Since 2012, 19 states, plus Washington, D.C., have legalized recreational marijuana, and 38 states plus D.C. have legalized it for medical use. Positive marijuana tests have surged by 45.2% in five years. This rise in drug use, especially in safety-sensitive sectors, has led to a 10% increase in workplace injuries among young adults, prompting leaders to enforce stricter drug use regulations.
Hiring Tips Blog

Navigating Drug Testing Laws in Each State
May 1, 2025 | Background Check Laws, Pre-employment Drug Testing
Recent Posts
- U.S. District Judge Upholds Federal Preemption Over Minnesota State Drug Testing Law
- Mississippi: Indian Tribe Approves Referendum Regulating the “Possession, Production, and Distribution of Marijuana on Tribal Lands”
- Your Breath May Be Your Next ID: Study Says Nasal Patterns are as Unique as Fingerprints
- Robert Half Settles Background Check Suit for More than $2.2M
- Job Seeker Says Paycom Background Check Included Twin Brother’s Charges
Categories
- Background Check Compliance (102)
- Background Check Laws (59)
- Background Screening (43)
- Biometric Identification (4)
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (1)
- Credit Checks (32)
- Criminal History Check (180)
- Data Protection & Privacy (100)
- E-Verify Issues (74)
- Education Verification (7)
- Educational and Childcare Hiring (28)
- EEOC (48)
- Employer Negligence (36)
- Employment Screening (136)
- Fair Credit Reporting Act (109)
- Featured Posts (1)
- Financial Services Hiring (11)
- Healthcare Hiring (2)
- Hiring Legal Compliance (2)
- Home Services and Repairs Hiring (6)
- Human Resources & Benefits (26)
- Immigration Issues (87)
- IT and Data Security Hiring (11)
- Medical & Pharmaceutical Industry Hiring (9)
- Occupational Fraud (11)
- Pre-employment Drug Testing (186)
- Retail Hiring (14)
- Security Services Hiring (3)
- Social Media (32)
- Transportation Industry Hiring (20)
- Uncategorized (1)
- Wage History Checks (4)