Uber may seem like your friend, what with all those late-night rides home after the bar, but this story emphasizes that you’re a customer, not a friend. Because if you indulge in some weed-related fun before using Uber, you might get squealed on without even realizing it.
Comedian Mike Mulloy learned this lesson recently when he consumed some marijuana prior to hopping into his Uber. The company’s Community Guidelines specifically states that riders could lose access for “Breaking the law while using Uber.” This band riders from “bringing open containers of alcohol or drugs into the car,” which may or may not include weed.
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A helpful reminder here: Marijuana is medicinally legal in 30 states and recreationally legal in nine states plus D.C..
“We’re reaching out because we have received a claim that you may have been in possession of an illegal substance on a recent trip,” read the message from Uber tweeted by Mulloy. “We take these claims very seriously,” adding that Mulloy’s account could permanently deactivated.
https://twitter.com/fakemikemulloy/status/1015493170551902209
https://twitter.com/fakemikemulloy/status/1015493490984095746
Mulloy claimed that he had only “smoked a blunt” prior to getting into the car. But more interesting is that drivers can report passengers for even “suspecting” a rider has alcohol or illegal substances on them.
“We have a zero-tolerance policy for drugs and alcohol for both riders and drivers,” an Uber spokesperson explained in an email to Mashable. “If a driver suspects a rider has drugs or alcohol, they can report it to us through in-app support.”
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It appears that so much as smelling like weed could earn you a warning from Uber, but whether it could get you banned seems up for debate. As the company spokesperson explained to Mashable, “For a first-time offense, we send a warning to the rider. Multiple reports of problematic behavior may result in a review of their account status.”
To claim this incident as representative of Uber’s stance toward marijuana is a silly thought exercise. But it’s a worthy reminder for marijuana enthusiasts that lighting up a joint right before hopping into the Uber isn’t the smartest of ideas.
