Cannabis, the cure all?

CamillusRN, BSN · Apr 21, 2015

Personally I'll take stoned drivers over drunk drivers any time (assuming all sober drivers isn't an option).

Drunk drivers will run a stop sign. Stoned drivers will wait for the stop sign to turn green. :lol2: At least that's how one of my friends (an occasional smoker) explained it to me.

CamillusRN, BSN · Apr 21, 2015

If anything will come out of this, will we see more allergy sensitivities . . .

Not sure about allergic/sensitivity reactions, but I've had two patients admitted in my ICU with "Marjuana Toxicity" as their primary dx in the last couple of months. They were just about as bad off as my ETOH withdrawal patients. I couldn't help but think how much someone would have to smoke/eat before the THC reaches toxic levels?

klone, MSN, RN · Apr 21, 2015

Not sure about allergic/sensitivity reactions, but I've had two patients admitted in my ICU with "Marjuana Toxicity" as their primary dx in the last couple of months. They were just about as bad off as my ETOH withdrawal patients. I couldn't help but think how much someone would have to smoke/eat before the THC reaches toxic levels?

We had an OB patient who was admitted for persistent hyperemesis gravidarum. Turns out it was marijuana toxicity!

allnurses Guide · Apr 21, 2015

There is not really a distinct difference in CBD vs casual use of marijuana since it's CBD, not THC, that is main sought after component of recreational use marijuana. The most popular strains for recreational use are high CBD content and low to near non-existent TCH levels.

There is absolutely a difference, at least to me, between using purified CBD to treat seizures in a medical setting and smoking a joint (regardless of the CBD/THC of the strain) for any number of reasons. One is a controlled medical use and one is used (most often) to get high. It doesn't matter that they are close to the same drug they are being used for different purposes, one of them being illegal.

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allnurses Guide · Apr 21, 2015

I think you study tries to answer the wrong question, which was 'is driving under the influence of marijuana as safe as driving under the influence of nothing'. If marijuana was the only recreational substance available then that could be applied to the real world, but of course it's not. The more accurate question to ask is if marijuana is just as accessible as alcohol, potentially resulting in replacing a portion of drunk drivers with stoned drivers, is that more or less dangerous? According the evidence it would appear that it is no more dangerous and possibly even reduces the number of auto fatalities.
A more realistic way of looking at this is: would you rather drive with roads full of drunk drivers or stoned drivers? Personally I'll take stoned drivers over drunk drivers any time (assuming all sober drivers isn't an option).

It's not MY study. It is a peer-reviewed meta-analysis about the safety of marijuana use while driving posted in response to a prior post that there was no increase in accidents with marijuana use.

You know it's illegal to drive under the influence of alcohol right? If it weren't then perhaps your question would make sense. The truth is that while ETOH is legal, it is illegal to endanger the safety of others while intoxicated, including driving.

I have never seen a study that evaluated and suggested that if marijuana was legal that there would be less drunk driving. I would actually think that there would be more dual-impaired driving unfortunately.

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Elvish, BSN, DNP, RN, NP · Apr 21, 2015

We had an OB patient who was admitted for persistent hyperemesis gravidarum. Turns out it was marijuana toxicity!

OTOH, I have had patients (and you probably have too) with HG and we threw everything we could at them - Phenergan, Zofran, Regland, Compazine, and (back in the day) Droperidol. Nothing worked. They did allow as how a joint was the only thing that touched their nausea.

Not quite the same as what you're describing....I guess to illustrate the point that there's a right and a wrong way to use just about everything. MJ being illegal in my state, I of course couldn't encourage them to use, but neither could I get worked up about it.

allnurses Guide · Apr 21, 2015

OTOH, I have had patients (and you probably have too) with HG and we threw everything we could at them - Phenergan, Zofran, Regland, Compazine, and (back in the day) Droperidol. Nothing worked. They did allow as how a joint was the only thing that touched their nausea.
Not quite the same as what you're describing....I guess to illustrate the point that there's a right and a wrong way to use just about everything. MJ being illegal in my state, I of course couldn't encourage them to use, but neither could I get worked up about it.

In my experience the tell-tale sign of cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome is hot showers: people that suffer from it tend to run the hot water out of their house several times a day.

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klone, MSN, RN · Apr 21, 2015

In my experience the tell-tale sign of cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome is hot showers: people that suffer from it tend to run the hot water out of their house several times a day.
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YES! That is exactly what the OBs said, that finally allowed them to figure out what was going on!

Elvish, BSN, DNP, RN, NP · Apr 21, 2015

In my experience the tell-tale sign of cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome is hot showers: people that suffer from it tend to run the hot water out of their house several times a day.

Interesting. I've heard this in other threads on AN....something to keep in mind for when I start seeing patients. Do people just not make the connection between the cannabis and their puking, or do they realize it but the happy side effects > puking, or is it something else entirely?

allnurses Guide · Apr 21, 2015

Interesting. I've heard this in other threads on AN....something to keep in mind for when I start seeing patients. Do people just not make the connection between the cannabis and their puking, or do they realize it but the happy side effects > puking, or is it something else entirely?

Most often they are absolutely confident that the marijuana is the treatment for the pre-existing nausea. It takes a good relationship with them and some demonstration that you have seen this before to get them to quit as their treatment. I often use the hot shower as a way to prove to them the cause. I bring it up like this: "one of the signs that your nausea is caused by marijuana use is that one of the things that makes you feel better is a hot shower, have you ever taken a hot shower to help your symptoms?". Sometimes they will say "that's exactly what I do" and you have just bought yourself some credibility.

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NurseOnAMotorcycle, ASN, RN · Apr 21, 2015

My guess is...nothing.
Now, if it was National Fireball Whiskey Day, I'd count on a few fender benders.

:roflmao: ... which one? New Year's, St Patrick's Day, or 4th of July? Or do you mean any day a big game is being played in any sport?

To add:

My opinion on marijuana is the same as alcohol: don't drive on it, don't come to work on it, and if someone says "no thank you" then stop badgering them about how good it is for them and move on.

I couldn't care less if it was legalized as long as there are the same laws applied to it as alcohol since it is a sensory altering substance.

(I have never used, have family/friends who do)

CamillusRN, BSN · Apr 21, 2015

To add:
My opinion on marijuana is the same as alcohol: don't drive on it, don't come to work on it, and if someone says "no thank you" then stop badgering them about how good it is for them and move on.
I couldn't care less if it was legalized as long as there are the same laws applied to it as alcohol since it is a sensory altering substance.

Agreed.