Hello, I’m about to start college this fall and my major is nursing. I plan to apply for a MMJ card relatively soon for my migraines. I live in Illinois where it is legal for recreational and medical use. I understand that the BON does not allow nurses to use marijuana, and employers are required to report a failed drug test to the board. I also understand that this still applies regardless of having a medical card, since it is illegal federally. I have a couple questions that I’m hoping someone on here can answer.
If you tell your employer prior to being hired during the interview process that you have your medical card, will they report you? I know that not all places are the same but does anyone have any experience with this?
I know a lot of places drug test on hire so I will definitely detox for the initial drug test.
I really truly understand chronic pain as I have dealt with it since childhood. I have even had doctors suggest medical marijuana to me due to the severity of it. However, I won’t risk my license and am careful of absolutely everything I put in my body. I am not anti-medical marijuana. I just know I have no desire to get into the legal ramifications of it with an RN license. There are so many options out there for chronic pain and illness, including migraines. Have you looked into both conventional and alternative therapies that won’t risk an RN license?
Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
That seems a lot of hoops to jump through just to keep your medical marijuana card. How about just don't become a nurse, if it's that important to you that it will dictate your career path?
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
On 5/6/2021 at 5:26 PM, futurenurse2025 said:
In case anyone was wondering, I think I found a loophole. LOL.
Correct me if I’m wrong but if you become an NP, and get a certain amount of hours worked under a physician (in Illinois it’s 4000 hours), you gain complete autonomy. Which means you can open your own practice, be your own boss, and make your own rules. And you wouldn’t have to worry about a drug test.
You mean to tell me, you will become an NP so you can have marijuana? I have migraines, too by the way but this seems a ridiculous reason to become an advanced practicioner if I ever saw one.
You mean to tell me, you will become an NP so you can have marijuana? I have migraines, too by the way but this seems a ridiculous reason to become an advanced practicioner if I ever saw one.
Me thinks this has nothing to do with migraines. This has everything to do with how can one smoke weed whenever and still be a nurse.
. Regular MJ use is just not really conducive to being a nurse in the US, at least a hospital nurse
I work outpatient. I had to pass a drug screen when I was hired, and I also had to sign consent for random drug testing during employment. They have not drug tested me since I started work, and I don’t really think they ever will. But if they did, and it came up positive, that would be the end of my career. Not worth it. There are a lot of lucrative fields where you can smoke as much pot as you want. I would stay away from nursing until federal laws (and, subsequently, nursing board rules) change.
You're not even a nursing student yet and you appear to be spending an inordinate amount of time on a way to scam the system so you can use marijuana (medical or not). IMHO you lack the maturity and developed sense of ethics it requires to become a nurse and work in a safety-sensitive position.
speedynurse, ADN, BSN, RN, EMT-P
544 Posts
I really truly understand chronic pain as I have dealt with it since childhood. I have even had doctors suggest medical marijuana to me due to the severity of it. However, I won’t risk my license and am careful of absolutely everything I put in my body. I am not anti-medical marijuana. I just know I have no desire to get into the legal ramifications of it with an RN license. There are so many options out there for chronic pain and illness, including migraines. Have you looked into both conventional and alternative therapies that won’t risk an RN license?