LEAVE THE HOSPITAL. NEW ON SEVEN NOW. BERNALILLO COUNTY FIREFIGHTERS WILL BE ALLOWED TO USE CANNABIS OFF OF THE JOB. COREY HOWARD IS LIVE IN ALBUQUERQUE, WHERE THE FIREFIGHTERS UNION AND COMMISSIONERS REACHED A DEAL. YEAH. THAT’S RIGHT. DOUG AND DARLENE. UNDER THE NEW AGREEMENT, COUNTY FIREFIGHTERS CAN COME TO DISPENSARIES LIKE THE ONE YOU SEE BEHIND ME AND USE THEIR PRODUCTS. BUT THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNION TOLD ME THAT THEY NEED TO CONSULT WITH A DOCTOR BEFORE GOING. WE ARE NOT THE FIRST TO DO THIS. FDNY DID THIS BEFORE US. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OF NEW YORK PHOENIX A LOT OF LARGER MUNICIPALITIES, SMALLER MUNICIPALITIES HAVE TRIED TO ADDRESS THIS. ON FEBRUARY 25TH, THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND FIREFIGHTERS UNION ENTERED AN AGREEMENT WHICH ADDRESSED THE USE OF CANNABIS. ACCORDING TO THE MEMORANDUM, RANDOM TESTING WILL NO LONGER BE INCLUDED IN CANNABIS SCREENING. HOWEVER, FIREFIGHTERS COULD STILL BE TESTED FOR CANNABIS IF THERE IS A REASONABLE SUSPICION THAT THEY ARE HIGH ON THE JOB OR THEY ARE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. WHEN YOU’RE RIDING ON THAT TRUCK AND PROVIDING THE SERVICE TO BERNALILLO COUNTY, WE HAVE ZERO TOLERANCE FOR YOU BEING IMPAIRED IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM. HE SAYS FIREFIGHTERS CAN ONLY USE CANNABIS ON THEIR TIME OFF. IF A FIREFIGHTER IS TOLD TO TAKE A CANNABIS TEST, THEY CAN BE DISCIPLINED IF THEY ARE OVER CERTAIN LIMITS. DISPENSARY MANAGERS SAY THEY KNOW SOME FIRST RESPONDERS TURNED TO CANNABIS TO HELP DEAL WITH THE STRESS OF THEIR JOBS. WE HAVE A LOT OF RETIRED POLICE OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS THAT HAVE COME IN AND SAYING THAT THEY DO USE CANNABIS TO HELP TREAT THEIR PTSD, AND SOME OF THE STRESSES THAT THEY EXPERIENCE WHILE ON THE JOB. BUT NOW THERE’S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME OF THOSE ACTIVE DUTY FIREFIGHTERS TO TO COME IN AND USE CANNABIS. THE JOB ALONE, FIREFIGHTING. THERE’S SO MUCH POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS THAT COMES WITH IT. HIGHER LEVELS OF CANCER THAT WE LOOK AT, THE MEDICATIONS THAT ARE PRESCRIBED AND THE WAY THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS, THAT ANY NORMAL PERSON WOULD WRITE THAT WOULD DO THIS JOB. AND THIS IS JUST ANOTHER WAY FOR THEM TO DEAL WITH IT. NOW THE UNION IS URGING FIREFIGHTERS TO CONSULT WITH THEIR DOCTOR IF THEY ARE USING CANNABIS, SO THEY CAN KNOW HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE BEFORE EXITING THEIR SYSTEM. REPORTING IN ALBUQUERQUE CORY HOWARD, KOAT ACTION SEVEN NEWS. THE AGREEMENT IS IN EFFECT UNTIL JUNE 2026 AND COULD LATER BE ADDED TO T