Nurses and medical marjuana

kwagner_51 · Mar 21, 2005

Some states allow for use of medical marijuana use with physican recommendation. What are your opinions or do you have knowledge of nurses that have a recommendation and use marijuana for medical purposes
( obviously not on the job!)
Thanks for responding~
Kashia

I am totally against MJ for recreational use. I have NEVER smoked it. HOWEVER, I am all for REDUCING/ELIMINATING pain in pts. if possible. I think it is stupid to say that legalizing it will allow people to get it easier. HUH?? They already get it anytime they want. We may as well get tax money for it. If required by MD prescription, then I say GO FOR IT!!

________________________________________

In His Grace,

Karen

Failure is NOT an option!!

barefootlady, ADN, RN · Mar 21, 2005

A few years ago we had a patient who was terminal, nothing the physician tried worked to reduce the nausea/vomiting and the pain meds were not doing a good job either. The physician spoke to a senator, a call was made and twice a day a policeman delivered already rolled joints to our floor. The nurse assigned to the patient had to sign for the pot, we then walked to the room with the policeman, asked all visitors to leave, watched the policeman give the pot to the patient, we gave him a lighter too. We left the room. He smoked the pot. For several weeks this was done, he did obtain relief from the severe nausea/vomiting. His pain meds were more effective because he was more relaxed. It allowed him some time to finish his business and allowed him to say goodye to his family. He finally slipped into a coma and died. I am all for the use of medical pot. I know THC pills can be given but they are not as effective as the natural stuff.

The government controls pot, not because it causes problems with some users, but because they cannot figure out a way to tax this weed. Even though they have programs all over the country to destroy this plant, it comes back naturally in some places. It is like kudzoo in some places, so it cannot be easily controlled. Before you think I am some nut who does not know what I am posting, visit some swamps, remote areas of South Carolina, and even here in WV. It grows naturally some places. Seen it many times. Watch the police helicoptor fly over every few weeks to check and see if one of the local wild patches they burnt out has taken hold again. It does, they do the cutting and burning, but they can't eliminate seeds carried by wild animals in their droppings take root and grow. I believe medical pot could be a cure for many things if the government was honest.

head injury unit RN · Mar 21, 2005

I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT FOR MANY DIFFERENT AILMENTS---PAIN, NAUSEA, EATING DISORDERS, CA PATIENTS DEFINITELY, AIDS/HIV, GLAUCOMA, ENDOMETRIOSIS, ETC. ONLY DOWNFALLS----LUNG PROBS AND KILLS BRAIN CELLS. ALSO AGREE PILL FORM (MARINOL) NOT EVEN CLOSE TO THE BENEFITS OF THE REAL STUFF.

Antikigirl, ASN, RN · Mar 21, 2005

Well, I am from Oregon...and we just had a measure to vote on last election where we voted on despensories for the pot so that people don't have to try to grow their own or try to find it.

Many people that use it here are very ill, it is hard enough to grow a begonia let alone a marajuana plant! These people's plants would die and they are only allowed so many! Patients were not able to get their 'medication' this way, and had to start turning to other means of getting it. There are certain people that are allowed to grow it for a patient (very controlled!), but again, only allowed a said amount of plants and not enough for more than one person. So even with that in place...very hard still to get the pot!

This was very taxing on our police! Constantly having to check on people, and even arresting sick people because if by chance they had a dead plant, replaced it with a healthy one, their allowance was exceeded!!!!! (had someone arrested for that!). It is horrible.

I totally believe in the benifits of this...seen it, and I must say it certainly helps with hospice patients and cancer patients! The only thing patients do wish for is a different route that works as well as smoking it! It can be too harsh for someone with breathing probelms! Someone finds that way I bet they will be a millionaire! LOL!

The vote on that measure sadly was a no go. The general public doesn't have enough info on the subject, just sees pot as bad...think that patients will start selling it or letting their kids have it (yeah right, give up their hard to get medication so they can toke out with the kids...not likely!)...and the general public thought these despensaries may get robbed too often (we are talking certain licensed pharmacies as despensaries). Like I said...it isn't like there aren't other drugs people want to steal..why just pot...so I debated this rationale full force (I mean it isn't like oxycontin or valium doesn't have a nice profit margin on the black market...more so than pot so I hear from our local police)

So here, you can get it with Rx...but actually getting the med...harder than heck! Hopefully we will vote on that one again soon and be able to get the medication to the patients who need them and not have to let them get it from the black market which doesn't do anyone any good!!!!!!

This really opened my eyes to the probelms associated with the use of medical marajuana...it isn't just if it should be allowed, it is also how to make it available yet controlled for patients.