medical marijuana past and wanting to be a nurse

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Hi guys im starting school this semester with hopes of applying to the nursing program in 2015.Now when I was 19 (im 21 now) I thought it was cool of me to get a medical marijuana recommendation and also to be safe from cops (which did work once) but anyways now that im starting school again I wanna do it clean and not smoke anymore.The recommendation I had expired back in may of 2012 so its been awhile since ive had it and I never got it again I let it expire.i plan on not smoking anymore after new years soo ill have a good year to get clean.What im worried is if my recommendation will show up in my history and prevent me of getting a job as a nurse,should I even apply to nursing school or should i start thinking of another major or should I be fine?,if you guys can help me out I would appreciate it and it will help me start school worry free thanks guys

Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

planning to stop after New Year's? Why not stop now?? Sounds like you are still wanting to partake in a mind-altering drug while making life/death decisions on people. Not cool.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

Old fogey here.....

So, is getting a "medical marijuana card" just a big scam? You don't actually have to have any medical need, just a cooperative provider and a wish to indulge without any legal hassle? This whole area makes me uneasy. At least with alcohol, there is pretty conclusive evidence on levels of BAC related to impairment. Is there any corollary for marijuana? How would the level of impairment be measured to ensure that is is 'safe'? I guess I'm just naive.

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Yes HouTX, an MMC is just a big scam so potheads can skirt around the law.

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Specializes in Hematology/Oncology.
Old fogey here.....

So, is getting a "medical marijuana card" just a big scam? You don't actually have to have any medical need, just a cooperative provider and a wish to indulge without any legal hassle? This whole area makes me uneasy. At least with alcohol, there is pretty conclusive evidence on levels of BAC related to impairment. Is there any corollary for marijuana? How would the level of impairment be measured to ensure that is is 'safe'? I guess I'm just naive.

I am very Pro Medical marijuana, for the patient

for nursing? no. You have to have optimal critical thinking, peoples lives are on your hands.

If it is 3 days prior to working or what not(i dont know how long until the minor impairment goes away)

I know there is a minor impairment, you cannot deny it.

If there were additional controlled unbiased studies, it could help determine the true impairment it could have on a person.

I do feel that medical marijuana has its place in medicine, especially post op.(From what I have read).

Atleast you dont have people with liver failure, psychosis(for the most part), kidney malfunction, or going around killing people on it.

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

I work in CA, where 4/20 is practically a state holiday. Even here, a medical MJ card will NOT offer you protection from disciplinary action from either employers or BONs should you test positive for THC. That's because MJ is Schedule I and is thus technically still an illegal drug.

Also, because MJ is Schedule I, it is illegal to prescribe: a doctor can only recommend it's use. A medical marijuana card is NOT a prescription. It only allows you to purchase the product without being arrested for possession. It doesn't make it legal or make everything A-OK.

If you have a bona-fide reason to use MJ medicinally, I seriously question whether you are physically capable of working as a nurse. After all, if you didn't have any serious health problems, you wouldn't need the wacky backy, right?

You need to decide which one is more important to you: working as a nurse, or being able to use marijuana. No judgment from me on whatever you decide, but you do need to choose because you are going to find that continued MJ use is incompatible with a successful nursing career.

Best of luck whatever you decide.

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Drugs don't "stay in hair follicles." Some drugs are incorporated into the hair itself, so you can identify it there long after use. Unless you get buzz cuts regularly.

Here's an interesting paper on the topic. Bottom line for the OP, though-- you don't convince me, either.

https://www.ncjrs.gov/txtfiles/hair.txt

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

Oh, to answer your original question, OP: your doctor's recommendation to use MJ should NOT show up anywhere as that info is part of your medical care and thus would be protected by HIPAA.

However, your purchases at the local head shop are NOT protected by HIPAA. Will your shopping show up on a background check? No. But it's perfectly legal for someone to say, "I saw the OP buy/smoke some marijuana."

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Specializes in Hematology/Oncology.

Btw, I would request a delete of this thread....

Why? They can trace you and find out exactly who you are and it can be used against you

I know I can

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Old fogey here.....

So, is getting a "medical marijuana card" just a big scam? You don't actually have to have any medical need, just a cooperative provider and a wish to indulge without any legal hassle? This whole area makes me uneasy. At least with alcohol, there is pretty conclusive evidence on levels of BAC related to impairment. Is there any corollary for marijuana? How would the level of impairment be measured to ensure that is is 'safe'? I guess I'm just naive.

In CA the law is very inclusive for usage. Many states since then have become more selective in the diseases allowed for inclusion.
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Btw, I would request a delete of this thread....

Why? They can trace you and find out exactly who you are and it can be used against you

I know I can

Dude, I highly doubt they can find the IP address of the OP in this thread and then put a anonymous username to a face. With background checks all they do is check your criminal record and call your references, hell even security clearances do't do that.

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Old fogey here.....

So, is getting a "medical marijuana card" just a big scam? You don't actually have to have any medical need, just a cooperative provider and a wish to indulge without any legal hassle? This whole area makes me uneasy. At least with alcohol, there is pretty conclusive evidence on levels of BAC related to impairment. Is there any corollary for marijuana? How would the level of impairment be measured to ensure that is is 'safe'? I guess I'm just naive.

There is, actually. Blood testing measures actual THC in the blood stream to show whether impairment is an active concern. Unfortunately, not even blood testing is going to help clear someone who is a regular user, since it can stay in the blood for up to a week while it isn't causing impairment. But for a person who doesn't regularly use it and only smokes it once in a while (say, once every few weeks or less), the THC is gone from the blood stream within 24 hours. It's useful for workplace accidents where a urine test would show marijuana positive whereas a blood test would prove there was no THC in the blood to cause the employee to be impaired.

And before anybody gets any ideas, the reason I know this is because I have a close friend who lives in Cali and has a medical marijuana license for his psychosomatic anxiety disorder and sleep problems. He doesn't feel the need to use it often, and always does so safely, but I, of course, demanded that he know how to CHA (cover his *ahem*) just in case it ever became a problem.

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Specializes in Emergency/Cath Lab.

Whole lot of judging going on here. Congrats on wanting to give it up. My fiance smoked ( cigarettes ) for 3 years and she set a date to quit, so I understand that. At least you are being honest about it and as long as you continue to do so, I doubt it will be an issue. Follow the advice of the people here that offered how it wont show up on a background check, be honest if they ask about it and you should do fine.

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