Cincinnati may soon be making a big change in how it hires workers in the city as council members are working on legislation that would treat marijuana use like alcohol use.
Bond Hill resident Leon Washington has set the wheels in motion by asking council members to change the city’s hiring policy during Cohear’s Policy Pitch Night.
Washington, 35, had received a marijuana ticket when he was 19 that took away opportunities from him. A background check found the ticket and disqualified him for a well-paying job.
“I know for a fact that, with that particular company, I would be a lot further in my life right now. The starting rate [of pay] was pretty high — more than I’m making right now,” said Washington.
Council member P.G. Sittenfeld stated, “These are good-paying, middle-class jobs. People shouldn’t be barred from that because they might have used a substance that we the city have now declared isn’t even illegal anyway.”
“Think about alcohol as the comparison. If somebody wants to go out and have a couple of beers on a Friday night, they can still come to the city on Monday morning and be an accountant and work as a firefighter, whatever it might be,” said Sittenfeld.
“It takes courage to do the right thing. Ease is a greater threat to success than hardship,” said Washington.
The proposals would only affect city jobs and private companies would still have their own policies. Legislation is expected to be introduced in a few weeks.
