Nurses Who Smoke Marijuana

itsnowornever, BSN, RN · Mar 20, 2013

\ said:
Times are changing in ten years you aren't going to get your license taken away. It's just not going to happen. Maine is about to legalize it next. It's really too bad you lost your license for that long. It's actually awful. I hear some nurses going home after a long shift and drinking a lot of wine by themselves and falling asleep. Holy crap sounds like alcohol abuse to me. Marijuana is no where near as harmful, it's only a matter of time until its moved off of the schedule one drug list and legalized for adults. The girl with fat thumbs is living in the past and is very misinformed.[/quote']
That may be your opinion (and thankfully it's only just that!), but guess who (a) wont get busted by the cops (because you still can loose your DL license for this "legal" activity, my husband has taken many!) (b) won't be griping that my license was lost because of weed and finally © won't be worried about random drug tests or new employment tests? This girl who is very misinformed (waiting for enlightenment since you know so much!) who happens to live in the past!
Posting from my phone, ease forgive my fat thumbs! ?

DavidKarl · Mar 20, 2013

The problem with marijuana is that it can show up months later, depending on what process is used to test. And it's illegal. And it's more of an indicator that a nurse may be impaired on the job, then someone with a DUI. But here's a fun one about the psychotic 'state of the union': I read a job application from CA. It asked for prior arrests, and or convictions. HOWEVER- it specifically said NOT to report 'any misdemeanor marijuana arrest over two years old'. Unbelievable. A DUI is permanent, although not work related, but a drug charge ... slides off after 2 years? Hmm.

tewdles, RN · Mar 20, 2013

The times are a changing.

The current POTUS favors decriminalization as we know that prohibition is NOT working.

DavidKarl · Mar 20, 2013

The fact is, if you smoke pot on Friday, and go to work on Monday, you are reporting to work under the influence, since the pot is still in your system, right?

It's all about money. There's more $ to be had from DUI arrests, then for marijuana, therefore DUI is now the #1 arrest cause in America, it bypassed simple marijuana possession.

nisteber · Mar 20, 2013

itsnowornever said:
That may be your opinion (and thankfully it's only just that!), but guess who (a) wont get busted by the cops (because you still can loose your DL license for this "legal" activity, my husband has taken many!) (b) won't be griping that my license was lost because of weed and finally © won't be worried about random drug tests or new employment tests? This girl who is very misinformed (waiting for enlightenment since you know so much!) who happens to live in the past!
Posting from my phone, ease forgive my fat thumbs! ?

Um its not just my opinion. Why do you think two states just legalized it for adults? They are millions of people that agree with me. Your husband has probably taken more licenses away for alcohol than marijuana. I feel like I am talking to a wall when arguing with you. I'm just saying in the future its going to be legal. Like it or not. Its just not harmful enough of a drug to stay illegal.

nisteber · Mar 20, 2013

DavidKarl said:
The fact is, if you smoke pot on Friday, and go to work on Monday, you are reporting to work under the influence, since the pot is still in your system, right?
It's all about money. There's more $ to be had from DUI arrests, then for marijuana, therefore DUI is now the #1 arrest cause in America, it bypassed simple marijuana possession.

No your statement is wrong. THC can still be found a person's blood but they are no longer impaired. If you smoke friday you can easily go to work monday un-impaired. Its very similar to drinking alcohol. No idea what you are trying to say about DUI being the number one arrests. 80,000 people die a year from alcohol related crashes. 0 die from marijuana related anything. Thats the facts. It's on the CDCs website. Somebody please end this thread so I stop responding. Thank you.

subee, MSN, CRNA · Mar 20, 2013

nisteber said:
Um its not just my opinion. Why do you think two states just legalized it for adults? They are millions of people that agree with me. Your husband has probably taken more licenses away for alcohol than marijuana. I feel like I am talking to a wall when arguing with you. I'm just saying in the future its going to be legal. Like it or not. It's just not harmful enough of a drug to stay illegal.

Just asking..because I don't know. Was MJ "legalized" or "decriminalized/" Ativan and Vicodin are legal but I don't accept the argument that because one has a prescription for them, it's OK to work. If you're so ill that you need Ativan or Vicodin to function....well, it's not not possible that you're ready for the rigors of nursing. AND having smoked a lot of weed in the 60's and 70's, today's MJ is an entirely different animal, in terms of potency. Tried it once for insomnia and realized this is not the mellow yellow I was familiar with:)

TXRN2 · Mar 20, 2013

One other thing to consider- even if states, or the country, for that matter, legalize or decriminalize MJ- this does not in any way mean that any states BON will allow a nurse to use MJ & retain a nursing license.

tewdles, RN · Mar 20, 2013

TXRN2 said:
One other thing to consider- even if states, or the country, for that matter, legalize or decriminalize MJ- this does not in any way mean that any states BON will allow a nurse to use MJ & retain a nursing license.

Do BONs currently take away nursing licenses for prescribed opiates?

TXRN2 · Mar 20, 2013

let me answer that this way: if a nurse is in a monitoring program & submits to random drug screens, & also required prescribed opiates- say after a surgery or accident, said nurse would not be allowed to work until off of the opiates & produced a clean drug screen. so, no- they would not take away your license, but they would not allow you to work while on prescribed opiates.

Alisonisayoshi, LVN · Mar 20, 2013

I just want to mention there are side effects and consequences to pot. Sorry to burst a smokers bubble, but there are. Currently pot is decriminalized. In some states it's even "legal" for medical use (where I live the Feds are suing our county to put an end to reckless medical use and growth but its currently legal).

Here's my b@$ch about pot: hey did you know your casual use is a blight on MY community? Yup it is. My cute, picturesque, small town is now overrun by MS13. We have murders, assaults, and skyrocketing crime rates all relating to pot. Pot is big business. So that joint you are smoking, that one joint? Yeah just know somebody might have been murdered for that. Seems crazy just for pot, but this cash crop is poisoning the land and water, it's inciting violence, and it's doing it in SOMEONE'S back yard.

Please don't act like its some victimless crime to smoke. It's not.

unreal RN, ASN, RN · Mar 20, 2013

What most BON and what most employers allow can be two very different things. In most states working as a nurse under the influence of opiates or any mood altering substance for that matter is completely against the state's nurse practice act...even with a valid prescription. However, most employers will hire a nurse as long as he or she has a valid prescription for the drugs. I, personally, have known several nurses who have worked under the influence of prescribed opiates, benzodiazepines, etc. It's too bad that so many nurses are ignorant of these things. They may feel protected having a valid prescription, but I bet the BON would see it otherwise...in most states, anyway.