InOut Labs founder urges marijuana carve-out for safety testing

By AI, Created 9:06 PM UTC, May 28, 2026, /AGP/ – Tim Thoelecke of InOut Labs joined NDASA at the U.S. Capitol on May 21 to press Congress and federal regulators to preserve drug-testing rules for safety-sensitive workers if marijuana is moved to Schedule III. The group says a targeted carve-out is needed to protect more than 8 million federally regulated workers and the public they serve.

Why it matters: - NDASA and workplace-testing advocates say a marijuana rescheduling plan without a safety carve-out could weaken mandatory testing for millions of safety-sensitive workers. - The group argues the stakes extend to public safety, including highway travel, aviation, schools, railroads, pipelines and nuclear facilities. - The call comes as federal cannabis policy shifts could affect how DOT and other agencies enforce existing testing mandates.

What happened: - Tim Thoelecke, president and founder of InOut Labs and NDASA’s Illinois state affiliate, took part in an NDASA press conference at the U.S. Capitol on May 21, 2026. - NDASA brought together drug- and alcohol-testing professionals, safety advocates and policy experts to urge Congress and federal regulators to protect federally mandated testing programs. - The coalition asked for an explicit safety carve-out if marijuana is reclassified from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act.

The details: - More than 8 million safety-sensitive employees are covered by mandatory drug and alcohol testing programs under DOT and other federal agencies. - Those workers include commercial truck drivers, airline pilots, school bus drivers, air traffic controllers, railroad engineers, pipeline operators and nuclear facility workers. - NDASA says impairment in those roles can have catastrophic and irreversible consequences. - The DEA’s proposed rule would reclassify marijuana as a Schedule III controlled substance. - NDASA says the proposal does not distinguish between recreational and medicinal use in the context of federally regulated safety-sensitive jobs. - NDASA and its affiliates want Congress to codify a statutory safety carve-out. - The group also wants DOT and other federal agencies to issue guidance confirming that existing testing mandates remain in place after any scheduling change. - Thoelecke described the issue as a workplace safety question tied to drivers, pilots and school bus operators, and warned against weakening science-based impairment prevention policy.

Between the lines: - The push is not just about marijuana policy. It is also about preserving the legal structure behind federal workplace testing. - NDASA is trying to get ahead of a possible regulatory gap before rescheduling creates confusion for employers and compliance programs. - Thoelecke’s role gives the effort both industry credibility and direct operational experience in DOT compliance.

What’s next: - NDASA is pressing Congress to act through legislation. - The association is also seeking agency guidance that protects current testing requirements regardless of how marijuana is ultimately scheduled. - InOut Labs says it will continue focusing on compliant workplace testing and regulatory guidance for federally regulated employers.

The bottom line: - NDASA wants marijuana rescheduling to come with an explicit exception for safety-sensitive jobs, or it fears federal drug-testing protections could erode quickly.