I have read about the long term effects on people that use crack, powdered cocaine, opiates, alcohol, etc... But, what are long term effects of those that smoke (or that used to heavily smoke) marijuana use? There is a LPN orientee that I work with who is an old associate from years back (we don't hang out, but we do speak on the phone often). I strongly suspect that her brain is in a constant fog. It seems that the logic portion of her brain is short circuted, so to speak (almost like her brain is fried). I've been looking at my textbooks and have not gotten a real picture of what happens with chronic marijuana smokers? Actually, I don't know much about this person's personal life, but her actions to not seem to reflect a person that used the other drugs I mentioned.
She does not retain pertainent information. We can have very DEEP conversations and a day or two later, she will mention something that shows me she had no recollection of what I told her recently, or spoke about time after time again. We work in a hospital that has a policy of no sneakers (you guys remember my rant, and how I had to get a doctor's note to continue wearing mine) white pants, white shoes and solid pastel tops. This girl came in yesterday wearing a lab jacket, blue jeans and grey sneakers...telling me "I was just not with it today, but felt it was better to show up". We spoke for over a week about me getting my note to comply with policy, we were both disgusted with the Boy Toy who still wears his dirty sneakers, and then, I see her come to work TOTALLY out of uniform, and felt that this was okay. I know that we don't make as much money as LPNs, but, there was a difference in the pay, enough to at least continue to live as we had been as techs if we don't live out of our means. Her phones are always cut off. She has silly, insane excuses for why she didn't chart this, or tell the patient that. She doesn't seem to think that after leaving school, you still have to read and learn because of the great deal of patient teaching we have to do. I know, somehow, that this is residue from substance abuse, but it made me wonder which one (more of a curiousity situation, really). I've basically decided to stop showing her better ways to organize herself, to critically think to the best of her ability or survival skills to make life a bit easier, because while I love her as an associate, she is driving me crazy.
Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.
I have to agree, and I have known many high-functioning & professional people who were pot smokers on a regular basis. The same can be said of ETOH use. I've always thought that ETOH had more long term effects on the organs though. (my personal observation, being a child growing up in the 70's is that- when using- ETOH users get stupid & obnoxious & pot users just mellow out and laugh at everything!!)- I also think there are a lot more chemicals in the pot today than when I was young. I'd like to see pot decriminalized- if not legalized. I can't say ETOH is any better, but since it's so widely used by the politicians, ETOH will never become illegal now- despite all the problems ETOH abusers have/cause, even tho pot has been around as long (maybe longer) than ETOH. I have also known many people who were on antidepressants & anti-anxiety meds that came to work every day- some function normally, some do NOT. The point is, addicts are going to abuse a substance they enjoy whether it is legal or 'socially acceptable' or not. This person the OP is referring to sounds like she may have some underlying emotional issues. I doubt you can blame pot smoking in her youth as a contributing factor to her poor decisions NOW.
I'm with you there!
I too am an ex-pothead. I stopped my recreational use when I realized that I could either a) keep using, or b) be a responsible citizen, have a nursing license, and make a living. Needless to say, I chose the latter.
Now, if I weren't a nurse, I might still enjoy the occasional 'peace pipe', and if I ever get to retire---or if marijuana is ever legalized---who knows? I think it causes far less harm than ETOH, and it doesn't make you sick or mean. But as long as I hold an RN license, and as long as cannabis remains illegal, I won't indulge. Simple priorities, that's all there is to it.
baloney! while i'm not disputing that burning and inhaling any substance is terrible for your lungs, the idea of marijuana dementia is nothing except "i know someone" anecdotes like you see here.
show me hard science done by reputable researchers. bottom line is you cannot, because there really isn't anything from a pure science point of view that isn't politically motivated.
should people be stoned at work? no!
it simply astounds me that in this society where hospitals are LOADED with people suffering the ill effects of etoh consumption that people are looking for "the marijuane problem".
Does your employer do any sort of drug screening? I'm not all that knowledgeable about marijuana, but I do know the residue can stay in the system for several weeks with habitual users.
She could have a problem with legal prescription CNS depressants. Especially if she's mixing it with ETOH. There was a story on GMA recently about Ambien addiction, and her memory loss sounds a lot like how a recovering addict described it.
I know, it's anecdotal and I may be way off base. But it's the first thing that came to my mind.
Whatever the cause, I hope she's able to get help before someone gets injured or worse *shudder*
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Is it possible that this woman has Attention Deficit Disorder?
Does your employer do any sort of drug screening? I'm not all that knowledgeable about marijuana, but I do know the residue can stay in the system for several weeks with habitual users.
She could have a problem with legal prescription CNS depressants. Especially if she's mixing it with ETOH. There was a story on GMA recently about Ambien addiction, and her memory loss sounds a lot like how a recovering addict described it.
I know, it's anecdotal and I may be way off base. But it's the first thing that came to my mind.
Whatever the cause, I hope she's able to get help before someone gets injured or worse *shudder*
I was wondering about attention deficent disorder today regarding this woman. A good guess...
Our employer has done screenings when people are first hired, but I don't know if that was in effect when she was hired over 15 years ago. I never had one when I was hired 11 years ago, but since then, I worked in employee health as a tech, and we had to collect urine tests for chain of custody. I am sure that if someone suspected that she was using drugs, they can probably demand one. What is really disturbing is that we have had very deep conversations about many things and she seems to get what I was saying at the time, but, later (can be as soon as a few days later), she will act as though it was not mentioned. Two examples are the deal with the sneakers I was venting to you guys...and the fact that the Boy Toy smirked at me while he was wearing dirty sneakers. She was present for this, and I told her that I planned to get my note, that even though I was totally insulted and ****** off, I planned to comply because it is not in my interest to openly defy this woman if there is a simple solution. Then, this week, you come in wearing a lab jacket, red sweatshirt, tight blue jeans and blue-grey sneakers??? That is openly fragrant and bizarre to me. At first, I thought that maybe she had an accident and had no other replacement clothes. She tells me she "just wasn't with it, but at least she is here" and acted like she did nothing wrong. It is like she just doesn't 'get it' and see what behavior she has done to bring on these problems for herself...like there is a piece of logic missing, somehow. Yet, she is a really nice and funny person...just not someone to work with. I see now, that I have to seperate between the two. I don't physically hang out with this person, so, that is not an issue. But, I will not place myself around her much outside of the phone conversations I had with her once every two weeks, because I see that I can't trust her judgement.
VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN
22 Articles; 9,996 Posts
I'm with you there!
I too am an ex-pothead. I stopped my recreational use when I realized that I could either a) keep using, or b) be a responsible citizen, have a nursing license, and make a living. Needless to say, I chose the latter.
Now, if I weren't a nurse, I might still enjoy the occasional 'peace pipe', and if I ever get to retire---or if marijuana is ever legalized---who knows? I think it causes far less harm than ETOH, and it doesn't make you sick or mean. But as long as I hold an RN license, and as long as cannabis remains illegal, I won't indulge. Simple priorities, that's all there is to it.