The STATES Act is back, and if you manage people, policies, or compliance, it’s worth paying attention to.
On April 17, 2025, a bipartisan group in the U.S. House reintroduced the STATES Act (Strengthening the Tenth Amendment Through Entrusting States). While it doesn’t legalize cannabis federally, it does represent a major shift in how cannabis laws could impact employers across the country.
And if your team isn’t trained and ready? You could be facing compliance confusion, safety issues, and a growing list of HR headaches.
What Is the STATES Act?
In short, the STATES Act seeks to:
- Respect state decisions on cannabis legalization, allowing each to regulate cannabis without federal interference.
- Provide 280E tax relief to cannabis businesses, removing restrictions that prevent them from deducting ordinary business expenses.
- Open the door to interstate commerce of cannabis products, which could change how cannabis is sold and distributed across state lines.
This means more normalization of cannabis economically, socially, and legislatively.
But for employers, it also raises serious questions about how to balance these evolving laws with clear and enforceable workplace expectations.
Cannabis in the Workplace
Whether cannabis is legal in your state or not, you’re likely facing one or more of these workplace scenarios:
- You operate in multiple states with different cannabis laws and need a consistent policy that applies across the board.
- You manage safety-sensitive positions and need to identify impairment while protecting employee privacy and rights.
- You’re struggling to update your drug-testing policies in light of legalization, or avoid potential discrimination claims in the process.
- You want to create an inclusive and supportive culture that acknowledges medical use without compromising workplace safety or performance.
The reintroduction of the STATES Act is a clear signal that cannabis policy is in motion. That means your workplace policies, procedures, and training programs should be too.
Why You Need Employee Training Around Cannabis
It’s not enough to simply update your handbook or drug-testing policy. You need to train your people, at every level, to understand what those policies mean and how to act accordingly.
Managers and supervisors need to know how to:
- Address potential impairment with professionalism and legal awareness
- Document incidents clearly and appropriately
- Avoid assumptions and apply policies consistently
- Support employees with questions about off-duty use, medical accommodations, or changing laws
Employees need to know:
- Your organization’s specific stance on cannabis use, both on and off the job
- How cannabis laws in their state affect them at work
- What to expect if a policy is violated
- How to raise questions or concerns in a safe and respectful environment
Make It Easier. Train With WYSR.
At WYSR, we’ve developed a dedicated course on Cannabis in the Workplace to help employers and teams navigate this evolving landscape with confidence. The course includes:
- Practical examples of how to handle cannabis-related situations
- Guidance on policy communication and enforcement
- Tips for HR, frontline managers, and team members alike
- Content designed for multi-state organizations
- Updated insights in light of ongoing legal shifts like the STATES Act
Whether you’re building a policy from scratch or adapting an existing one, we make it easier to prepare your team, reduce risk, and promote a safe, informed workplace culture.
As legislation like the STATES Act moves forward, cannabis will continue to become more normalized in everyday life, including at work. That means your team’s understanding, your policies, and your training approach all need to evolve.
Don’t wait for a workplace issue to become a legal one. Get ahead with our Cannabis in the Workplace course. Reach out here to get started.
