Andover, Salem Lawmakers Fight For Woman Fired For Smoking Pot

BOSTON, MA -- Bernadette Coughlin, who was fired earlier this summer as food service contractor at Holy Family Hospital for smoking marijuana on her personal time, is getting help from two state senators. Barbara L'Italien (D-Andover) and Joan Lovely (D-Salem) sent a letter this week to the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission calling for changes to protect workers like Coughlin, of Methuen.

"While the issue here is ultimately traceable to the fact that marijuana use remains prohibited under federal law, it is incumbent upon Massachusetts institutions like the state Legislature and Cannabis Control Commission to enact policies that will protect Massachusetts workers from this type of groundless termination," L'Italien and Lovely wrote.

Coughlin, who moved from Peabody to Methuen to be closer to work, worked for the food service giant Sodexo, according to the Eagle Tribune, which first reported this story. L'Italien filed an amendment to anti-opioid abuse legislation that would have addressed the issue, but the legislature did not act on it in the just-completed session.

For more on this story, see the Eagle-Tribune. Never miss another local news story: Get free local news alerts right to your inbox.

Patch file photo vis Shutterstock.

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).