Rastafari nurse and marijuana use

[ncriverrat]

I hope I don't start any arguments/debates with this....if so, please feel more than welcome to delete!

I have a friend who is in the first year of nursing school(finished pre-reqs and is in the junior year).

She is originally from Jamaica and she is Rastafarian. Now that she is has been accepted in the nursing program, I had to ask her a question.

As part of her religion and culture, she smokes marijuana, and she says it is part of the way she lives, just like other traditions she adheres to.

We had a discussion regarding this and her future employment possibilities.

She told me that since this was part of her religion, that no employer could discriminate against her. I told her that most(if not all I've seen) nursing jobs have some statement about being "drug free" or a "drug free workplace".

So now we're both wondering- can they not hire/fire her for something that is part of her culture/lifestyle/religion?

She has told me that even though she has is in the program, that she would in no way change her beliefs for a profession. So I don't really have any information for her on the subject, and thought someone on here may- any Rastafari nurses out there or have any input?

Thanks!

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

Does that religion require her to be stoned all the time? Can she not choose when to use?

Sounds like the religion is an excuse to use dope and is already causing her problems. What about her patients? Will they appreciate the fact that she is using mind-altering drugs while caring for them. No way!

[MikeyJ, RN]

One of my pre-nursing classes last year had incorporated a cultural aspect into the class where groups were instructed to give a very lengthy presentation on a specific culture, as well as turn in a very lengthy research paper. The point of the project was to educate other students on a particular culture from a nursing stand point.

My group happened to choose Jamaica and we focused very heavily on Rastafarianism. After doing a great deal of research we had discovered that marijuana use is obviously optional, and in fact the percentage of Rastafarian's that use marijuana wasn't as high as I had suspected it to be. We were also able to get some insight from a gentelman in our class who was born and raised in Jamaica and is Rastafarian. He had just been accepted into the nursing school, and I questioned him on whether he used marijuana. He said while he lived in Jamaica he would periodically use; however, when he arrived in the U.S. him and his wife decided they would not use because it is obviously illegal, and would not want to jeopardize their careers/future/family. He reiterated that it is not a requirement of the religion, and agreed that Rastafarian's living in the U.S. (or any other country where marijauna is illegal) should cease using.

[muffie, RN]

good luck with the urine test honey

[TazziRN, RN]

good luck with the urine test honey

Yeah, if she's been using for as long as it sounds, she'll have to abstain for so long that she might as well get clean!!

[muffie, RN]

hi tazzi

[TazziRN, RN]

Hi Muff!

[I_am_Julia]

It is a very old and deeply rooted religion and NOT a casual reason to smoke marijuana.

Does that religion require her to be stoned all the time? Can she not choose when to use?

Sounds like the religion is an excuse to use dope and is already causing her problems. What about her patients? Will they appreciate the fact that she is using mind-altering drugs while caring for them. No way!

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Nurses here in Florida when busted with mj in their system have to go before the board.

I work with many Jamaican nurses, but they do not smoke mj.

I haven't heard of a nurse of that religion get off the hook because it's used for religious purposes, but I'm relatively sure it's not allowed.

Is it even legal in the United States to smoke it if it's for religious purposes?? If not, then I'm sorry, one must still follow the laws of the land you immigrant to, while fighting to change it of course.

[Sue Damonas, BSN]

I'm a Catholic nurse and I never drink the wine at mass.

[NightNurse876]

This may sound mean, but my line of thinking is: If you want to use Marijuana for religious/cultural reasons, then don't move to a country like America- where it's illegal- if you plan on continuing to use it

And don't get a job taking care of patients, for Pete's sake. She'll find out soon enough when she doesn't get any nursing jobs because of her positive drug tests. Unfortunately, she sounds like an addict justifying her actions.

This is ridic! Are you serious? My sister is Rastafarian, it is not an excuse. Some people may try to use it as such but it is a proven religious practice of the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church. How dare you and anyone else on this thread say things as you have with NO idea of what they are talking about. Whatever Americans....equality my but. And religous use doesnt take place at work...ignorance sure is bliss it seems...