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Great Falls officials are working to revise the city's position on medical marijuana in the workplace.

The city's Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 currently does not include marijuana, but the state's Medical Marijuana Act has a provision that says employers are not required to accommodate use of medical marijuana in the workplace.

Both the city statute and a recent ordinance banning the drug will be updated.

The new guidelines will be based on the state's medical marijuana provision and federal standards which identify marijuana as an illegal substance.

City Attorney Jim Santoro said, "Make no mistake, the revision is now ongoing and medical marijuana use in the work place in the city of Great Falls will not be tolerated."

Meanwhile, the Montana Chamber of Commerce is also working to ban medical marijuana in the workplace.

The chamber will take the issue to the Montana Legislature in January.

New legislation will expand the medical marijuana act to protect from wrongful discharge suits if an employee is fired for medical marijuana use.

The bill draft will also address the drug's effect on work performance even if used off the job site.

Great Falls Chamber Vice President Tom Alfrey said, "Our concern is for our businesses and for their use of any kind of drug in the workplace and how that impacts employee drug testing and how that impacts the law as far as how they enforce that."

The bill would also prohibit employees who drive as part of work to use or possess medical marijuana as well as employees who instruct or supervise minors.