Medical Marijuana for RN's

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Is it ok for a registered nurse to use medical marijuana (with a prescription) outside of work of course?

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

My state BON wouldn't allow the byproducts of marijuana to be present in my blood or urine at any time, for any reason. It wouldn't matter to my BON if the marijuana was medically necessary, ordered by a physician, or used during my time away from work.

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Specializes in pedi, pedi psych,dd, school ,home health.

interesting question as my state just voted to change marijuana laws. However i agree with Commuter; my BON would not accept any level of cannabis by product in my system.

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Specializes in ICU/ER.

I am at a loss of what the medical word is right now--it is the oral pill form of canibas though--given to patients to combat nausea...Marinol maybe??

But a nurse we work with has been on it before--she suffered major bi-lat injury in a tragic car accident underwent mulitple skin grafts was simply not eating.

Far as i know it is legal in all states and its half life is very short, she was not on it as a practicting nurse but as a patient in a rehab center.

It may be off the topic of the orginal post, but I think if a Dr prescribes then you would have a case against your BON. Granted I am not going to be the one to fight that fight but someone should.

Wouldnt it be the same as Vicoden/Percocet etc etc prescription narcs. If I have a scrip to take them I can, if I dont have a scrip for them and I am drug tested then I can get in trouble.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Marinol is given often for folks with poor appetites, on chemo, immunocompromised, etc... It does not contain THC so therefore there is no euphoric feeling and you don't get "high." I write for it often for my patients with poor appetite to attempt to stimulate it...

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I've wondered about this:

My hubby and I sometimes travel abroad in the summers. In two summers we will have the opportunity to travel in a certain city where MJ is legal and sold in coffee shops. Can I partake?

I wouldn't be doing anything illegal. I would be abiding by the laws of the country I am visiting. Is there any legal precedent that the laws of my own country apply even if I am *out* of the country AND I am abiding by the laws of the country I am visiting?

Just curious!

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Specializes in ICU/ER.
I've wondered about this:

My hubby and I sometimes travel abroad in the summers. In two summers we will have the opportunity to travel in a certain city where MJ is legal and sold in coffee shops. Can I partake?

I wouldn't be doing anything illegal. I would be abiding by the laws of the country I am visiting. Is there any legal precedent that the laws of my own country apply even if I am *out* of the country AND I am abiding by the laws of the country I am visiting?

Just curious!

Well upon your return if your job asks for a drug test and you test positive the test wont come back and say "was used on this date in this country" it will just be pos/neg.

But on the flip side it does only stay in your system for so long---on the other flip side. having been a former pot smoking/Motely Crue loving child of the 80s--its not worth it!!!

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.
I've wondered about this:

My hubby and I sometimes travel abroad in the summers. In two summers we will have the opportunity to travel in a certain city where MJ is legal and sold in coffee shops. Can I partake?

I wouldn't be doing anything illegal. I would be abiding by the laws of the country I am visiting. Is there any legal precedent that the laws of my own country apply even if I am *out* of the country AND I am abiding by the laws of the country I am visiting?

Just curious!

I've had the same debate with my hubby. If one goes to a place where it is legal then gets tested back at home could they get in trouble? I think that it would be too hard to prove that the use was legal but then where does the burden of proof lie? hmmm....:chuckle

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Specializes in Med Surg, Ortho.

It should be legalized. I don't smoke it, don't care to smoke it, I value my lungs, but IMO, it's no different than alcohol. Marijuana should be legalized, it could help pay for our national debt, huh? We would just have to be vigiliant and make sure co-workers weren't showing up for work high.

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Specializes in peds and med/surg.
It should be legalized. I don't smoke it, don't care to smoke it, I value my lungs, but IMO, it's no different than alcohol. Marijuana should be legalized, it could help pay for our national debt, huh? We would just have to be vigiliant and make sure co-workers weren't showing up for work high.

I agree that it's like alcohol, but I don't think it would help the debt b/c the reason it isn't legal is b/c the gov't makes too much off of it being illegal. Marijuana can be grown in a backyard or basement, the gov't can't tax it or make money off of "homegrown" stash. I don't smoke, never have either, but it's more money for uncle Sam to keep it illegal.

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Legalize!

In 15 years of EMS & nursing, I've seen people who've overdosed on just about everything. Alcohol, legal drugs, illegal drugs, industrial compounds, and household products have all darkened one patient or another's day. I've never - not once, seen someone who's just smoked too much weed.

One day, future civilization will joke about how we sold, comsumed, regulated and taxed known dangerous plants and products (tobacco, alcohol, etc) and jailed people for using another.

Enough rant, back to my Funions.

Pete Fitzpatrick

RN, CFRN, EMT-P

Writing from the Ninth Circle

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I agree that it's like alcohol, but I don't think it would help the debt b/c the reason it isn't legal is b/c the gov't makes too much off of it being illegal. Marijuana can be grown in a backyard or basement, the gov't can't tax it or make money off of "homegrown" stash. I don't smoke, never have either, but it's more money for uncle Sam to keep it illegal.

How much does it cost to pay for the prosecution and incarceration of all those pot smokers and dealers?

You can grow veggies in your backyard, you can make beer and wine in your house; but most people don't, most people buy these items. I'd bet it'd be the same with pot. It's not like you throw out some seeds and it grows into a joint plant--it takes care and the leaves take processing and I think most people don't want to do that or even know how. I think the gov't would make more money of taxing it than they do keeping it illegal.

Just my 2 cents.

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