Amazon sued for employment discrimination over Psychedelic Mushrooms

Cannabis News World

Jul 31

Amazon sued for employment discrimination over Psychedelic Mushrooms
CANNANNEW REPORT

By Jason Shinn on June 6, 2022 Last week Amazon was sued over alleged employment law violations. The lawsuit asserts the plaintiff was unlawfully terminated after reporting a co-worker for using mushrooms that naturally contained an active but illegal psychoactive chemical called psilocybin. Why it Matters: Psilocybin and similar psychedelic compounds are considered Schedule I substances. This means they are illegal under federal law and under many state laws, including Michigan. Like medical marijuana usage, with decriminalizing and more research showing psychedelics as a viable therapeutic alternative in treating depression, substance use disorders, and other mental illnesses, employers should expect to see more workplace issues like those involved in the lawsuit against Amazon. Background: Turning back to the lawsuit, Larkin v. Amazon.com Services, LLC, Case No. 3:22-cv-00942, the Complaint asserts plaintiff reported to Amazon's Investigations unit that an employee was using the illegal drug, psilocybin mushrooms. Plaintiff alleged he believed the use of the mushrooms was a felony and a workplace hazard to public health and safety. Amazon allegedly did not discipline the employee reported to have used the psilocybin mushrooms. Instead, Plaintiff alleges he became the subject of an Amazon investigation and was eventually terminated. Plaintiff was told his termination was because he failed to disclose an improper relationship between two other Amazon employees — a violation of Amazon's employee policy. These are just the allegations in the complaint. No doubt these claims will be thoroughly litigated and contested. But coincidentally, the same week Amazon was sued for discrimination over psilocybin mushrooms, an initiative to put on the 2022 ballot a proposal asking Michigan voters to decriminalize certain psychedelic plants and fungi was put on hold. The "Michigan Decriminalization of Psilocybin Mushrooms and Other Plants and Fungi Initiative," was approved at the beginning of the year by Michigan's Board of Canvassers. But…