Marijuana and Nursing School

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I'm sure there is a thread about this but I wanted to establish one specific to my situation.

I am a 20 year old, second year nursing student in a highly competitive nursing program at a four-year private liberal arts college. I do not live on campus, I still live with each of my parents.

I am sure this question will elicit judgemental comments from all walks of life but let me illuminate you on my character-

I do not drink alcohol or party.

I strictly am attending college to better my future and become qualified, you'll hardly catch me socializing. I am extremely school-oriented and maintain a 3.5 gpa.

I study in my free time and work full time as well as attending school full time.

but YES, on occasion I indulge in smoking marijuana for the calming effects it has on my situational anxiety and sleep issues.

So here is my directive.

Do nursing schools TYPICALLY drug test prior to clinicals and how severe are the consequenceswhen testing positive with marijuana?

I never understand why people have an "it's only pot" attitude at the same time as actually RISKING something for it. If to you pot isn't serious enough that you should get in trouble for smoking it, then why is it something important enough that you should risk getting in trouble for smoking it? Pick your battles. The hippies have had dibs on this one for a few decades now. :yawn:

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Specializes in Forensic Psych.

I think what is more germane to the discussion is what your particular nursing program's policy is.

You need to decide for yourself what level of risk you are willing to take, so it is imperative that you have a clear understanding of the policy of your nursing program as well as the consequences should you test positive for any substance.

Even if you know your programs policy...things change! I wasn't required to have a drug test when I started school because none of our clinical sites required it.

6 months later we were all randomly tested because our sites changed their minds. I'm not a drug user, but if I was I would've had a a rude awakening. Like I said...so not worth it.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
I'm sure there is a thread about this but I wanted to establish one specific to my situation.

I am a 20 year old, second year nursing student in a highly competitive nursing program at a four-year private liberal arts college. I do not live on campus, I still live with each of my parents.

I am sure this question will elicit judgmental comments from all walks of life but let me illuminate you on my character-

I do not drink alcohol or party.

I strictly am attending college to better my future and become qualified, you'll hardly catch me socializing. I am extremely school-oriented and maintain a 3.5 gpa.

I study in my free time and work full time as well as attending school full time.

but YES, on occasion I indulge in smoking marijuana for the calming effects it has on my situational anxiety and sleep issues.

So here is my directive.

Do nursing schools TYPICALLY drug test prior to clinicals and how severe are the consequences when testing positive with marijuana?

Let me preface this by saying I think marijuana should be legalized....tax it, sell it and put the drug lords out of business. I especially believe in marijuana for prescription use. Here are my thoughts.

Self medicating is a slippery slope.


  • Pot remains illegal in most states.
  • Smoking pot will place your dreams and goals in danger especially if that is being a nurse.
  • Yes you are partying whether or not it's for your social anxiety and sleep issues.
  • Are your parents aware that you smoke pot for your sleep issues and situational anxiety?
  • Yes schools and places of employment drug screen some will even do hair samples which can tests a drug history.

The consequences are swift and severe. Expulsion and not being able to get a license to practice nursing is the most likely case scenario as well as a criminal record.

My directive....don't smoke pot if you want to be a nurse an see a PCP for assistance and effective treatment of your situational anxiety and sleep issues you may be suffering unnecessarily when medical intervention can improve your quality of life.

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Specializes in Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health.

Back when I was in nursing school, we weren't allowed to attend clinical if we had a sunburn. If we had tested positive for weed or any other drug, the dean would most likely have called the police.

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Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.
You are rationalizing your use of a (controversial) prescription drug by your supposed need to self-medicate for your anxiety. Either hold off until you live in a state where an M.D. can prescribe it (off-label, at that) for anxiety, or you're toast.

Or you live in a state where it's legal to smoke it recreationally.

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Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.
All of the programs in my area test for drugs. I've been in a nursing program for a while now and I've not been retested. That certainly could change at any time. Regardless of whether or not Marijuana is considered "legal" in your state, remember that it's Federally a Schedule I drug and possession is still not legal under Federal Law. .

It has changed, actually. The Attorney General recently announced that they're not going to prosecute for drug possession in CO or WA. So, essentially, it's federally alegal to possess or use marijuana in those states.

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Specializes in ED.

Wow, some hateful answers for a guy smoking grass. It's not like he is snorting cocaine or shooting oxycodone (worked with both).

Marijuana is illegal and legal, depending on your state. Act accordingly to the law.

I grew up in Canada with everyone from my babysitter to my grandma rolling a joint. Not a big deal to me. But to those that say marijuana is an 'introductory' drug that leads to heroin, come on. What are you smoking? Actually, tobacco and alcohol is almost always tried first, but they aren't considered drugs by the average person, are they?

To the OP, you will be drug tested possibly before and during your time in the program. A positive result on any drug is usually grounds for dismissal from said program.

And kudos for trying a natural herb over running to an MD for a benzo. See if you don't get addicted to that crap....

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Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.

As a comedian I once heard say (probably Doug Benson), saying that marijuana is a gateway drug because everyone who does heroin started with marijuana is like saying kissing is a gateway to rape because everyone who rapes started with kissing.

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Specializes in Emergency Department.
It has changed, actually. The Attorney General recently announced that they're not going to prosecute for drug possession in CO or WA. So, essentially, it's federally alegal to possess or use marijuana in those states.

Even though the AG stated they won't prosecute for possession in CO or WA, it's still a Schedule I drug and technically illegal in all 50 states and territories. The AG could, at any time, state they're going to now prosecute in any state or territory. So no, it's not essentially legal. It's still illegal. Get caught with it, you'd better hope that the statute of limitations runs out before they start prosecuting those cases again.

The county I'm in won't prosecute certain crimes (most misdemeanors) and possession of small amounts of marijuana. It still doesn't mean they can't. Why? The DA has limited prosecutorial funding and in order to save money, she won't prosecute certain crimes. Should she suddenly receive more funding, she'll return to prosecuting even simple possession of small amounts of marijuana that are clearly for personal use and not distribution.

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Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.

Actually, what Eric Holder said is that the AG is going to allow the state laws on MJ to go into effect as is, and they're not going to step in. Essentially, they're going to allow the states rights to supercede Federal law. What I suspect is happening is that the Feds are using this as an experiment to allow marijuana to become legal in all 50 states eventually, making this whole debate silly and irrelevant (and for the record, I don't smoke pot, but I find people's reactions to it amusing and Victorian).

Eric Holder Says DOJ Will Let Washington, Colorado Marijuana Laws Go Into Effect

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Why couldn't you attend clinical with a sunburn?

FWIW, I don't think the OP was saying he/ she smokes MJ during the day or showing up high to class or clinicals. Only that he or she does it to aid with sleep. That being said, I do think the best course would be to quit ASAP I'm case there is testing.

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Specializes in Float Pool-Med-Surg, Telemetry, IMCU.

My school did not drug test but it sounds as though many do- so I wouldn't risk it.

It is legal in my state but most facilities have their own policies. Mine does not drug test unless there is a suspicion of diverting or someone coming to work under the influence.

I'm sure many of the people slamming it go home and have a glass of wine after a rough day- same thing; our perceptions of what is acceptable and what is not are stupid.

I know quite a few doctors and nurses who occasionally indulge and are awesome at what they do.

As long as our laws are what they are, it's not worth the risk, however.

Best of luck to you.

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