Legalization of recreational marijuana

U.S.A. Colorado

Published

As most of you all know, Colorado just approved recreational marijuana use. Does this mean that someone could test positive for THC and not face any repercussions?? I know you could not be intoxicated at work but if it is legal then how could it be held against you???

By everyone's logic in this thread caffeine should be banned.

Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.
It's amusing how many people in this thread are so ignorant on marijuana. Wake up people it's not the 1950's that darned reefer isn't going to kill you. And the original poster asked a simple question only to be barraged with attacks on his character. This is ridiculous because as nurses we need to objectively look at the evidence behind marijuana. Smoking anything is bad for you that is true. But cigarettes are still legal throughout the country right? Marijuana use includes edible foods such as brownies, lollipops, or THC capsules. Seriously you anti-marijuana crowd need to get with the times![/quote']

From your own "evidence":

"There is insufficient evidence, particularly because of the low number of studies, to assess whether the all-cause mortality rate is elevated among cannabis users in the general population. Case–control studies suggest that some adverse health outcomes may be elevated among heavy cannabis users, namely, fatal motor vehicle accidents, and possibly respiratory and brain cancers.

There is a need for long-term cohort studies that follow cannabis using individuals into old age, when the likelihood of any detrimental effects of cannabis use are more likely to emerge among those who persist in using cannabis into middle age and older."

Using nicotine in your time off is legal on a federal and state level, but hospitals can still require you to be tested for it and refuse to hire you if you test positive (and this is a growing trend hospitals are moving towards). Compare it to that instead of drinking.

This is so comical. From time spent in the ER I've seen all sorts of things. And I can limit the number of patients have seen from marijuana related issues to one hand...literally. But guess what I can't limit to one hand The number of patients I have seen whose health, ergo lives, have been COMPLETELY ruined by alcohol, tobacco, cocaine, heroine, benzos and CHEESEBURGERS. Why is heart disease one of the leading causes of death in the U.S? Please reread that too, LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH, LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH, it couldn't be due to the fact that now the majority of our population is over weight if not obese. Like, in our country it is legal to sell these little sticks with cancer in them, and on top of that its main purpose is for you to ingest the fumes emitted from said cancer stick once you have lit it on fire. Imagine going to the store and buying waste from Chernobyl with the intentions eating it...what sense would that make? With type two diabetes becoming the norm, nurses still give coca-cola and other sugar filled snacks to any and all patients upon request. That is of course unless they are diabetic, but before you get to that point, obviously nobody gives a **** if you drink a 6 pack of cola during your hospital stay, or order the fried chicken fingers from the cafe. Case in point, I just got done wiping the butt of a man who is in his mid 30s almost 400 lbs and he can't reach his hole for a wipe. What is the root cause of his problem? Yeah he won't stop stuffing his face....bottom line, the CHF is just a by product this. Now here is the kicker....he is not diabetic....well not yet and guess who has to give him his 3 coca-colas a night? ME!! That stuff will corrode a nail. I use it to clean sulfuric acid off my battery posts. Yet here I am giving this man poison. His drug addiction, food, and guess who is his little drug dealer while he's here. ME. On the show "My strange addictions," I saw this lady bathe herself in bleach as a daily ritual. The list of "potentially" dangerous things is really, really, really long. And if you are so against pot because it could "potentially" cause health problems then you should reorganize yourself and go after McDonald's for selling cheeseburgers, Camel for selling cigarettes, Starbucks for selling those diabetes shakes we like to call lattes, and Nevada for all the homes lost from gambling. Just from using a brain you can see that MJ is not public enemy number 1. There is research that could potentially show that most of our neurodegenerative diseases stems from inflammation caused from chronic elevated blood sugar levels from our over consumption of carbohydrates in our day to day meals. For something that has been around for so long, and causes such minuscule problems as compared to what else is out there it almost seems completely retarded to be raising so much hell about this topic. From what I have seen the only true and valid argument against pot is that it could possibly, maybe, slightly, potentially cause problems way down the road. All other arguments just seem invalid. If someone is just so paranoid and freaked out about a high nurse taking care of them then they should be equally if not more concerned about a drunk nurse, or a nurse who just swiped some dilaudid from the med room. Caffeine and Nicotine are just as mind altering drugs as pot can be, it is all dependent on the dose. I could drink 45 cups of bold coffee and snort some caffeine tablets before work if I wanted to, and technically that would be legal. So unless you have tried it and sincerely looked at it from a unbiased perspective you can't say that its all bad.

OH and if you get addicted to weed it is because you're a moron, no other reason. Same as if someone is addicted to food. It's a weakness of ones character. Don't get me wrong Addiction is a very real thing, but it's also used as an excuse. Just like an obese person might argue that they are the size of a farm animal because of their "hormone disorder." Well, in some cases that could be true, but the majority of the time it's because a fat person does not want to get off the couch and go for a run.

The above incoherent, irrational, and rambling post about about marijuana being safe and not affecting thought or actions has me spooked.

Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.

Jacodean: I remember during the 60's driving down a country road and going into a quick panic because I misinterpreted a blowing leaf as a cow. Don't be a silly person. This NEVER would have happened on caffeine or nicotine:). Come to think of it driving along at 15 miles an hour thinking I'm doing 45 wouldn't have happened either.

BostonFNP,

There hasn't been any long-term studies on many pharmaceuticals and their possible adverse long-term effects yet providers still prescribe them to patients. I know as a PMHNP student many of the psychotropic drugs prescribed haven't been tested long-term. I'm not trying to say that we shouldn't study the long-term effects of marijuana, but that it is hypocritical for healthcare providers to demonize it for that reason only.

Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.
BostonFNP There hasn't been any long-term studies on many pharmaceuticals and their possible adverse long-term effects yet providers still prescribe them to patients. I know as a PMHNP student many of the psychotropic drugs prescribed haven't been tested long-term. I'm not trying to say that we shouldn't study the long-term effects of marijuana, but that it is hypocritical for healthcare providers to demonize it for that reason only.[/quote']

You didn't read my post very well did you...

For those of you wanting to study the long term effects of thc, I'm sure Willie Nelson would be more than happy to volunteer for the autopsy!

Yes to everything in this post :yes:

Whoever wrote this clearly lacks the non-judgmental, empathetic eye that a good nurse possesses.

I did read your post. However, since you did not elaborate I'm not sure what else I can say on that matter.

This is a debate: if you disagree I invite your rebuttal. No need to be condescending.

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