Nurses smoking weed?

[bunnynurse]

Hey nurses,

In honor of "420" tomorrow... As a health-care professional, what are your thoughts on smoking weed? Any nurses out there that smoke a joint here and there?

Cheers.

[lidisu]

weed has changed and it is so unpredictable from the homegrown stuff they used to have in the 70s i have so many pataients who have smoked it and become psychotic and suicidal so no thanks not worth it to me

[AnonBSN]

Psychotic? Suicidal?

These posts have a lot of misinformation throughout. Sounds like some people watched Reefer Madness and believed it! Drugs will have different effect on different people, and some people have some serious side effects when using marijuana, such as anxiety, hyperemesis, palpitations, and ataxia. Some people get euphoria, analgesia, anti nausea or appetite stimulation, but go psycho and commit suicide? I'm going to guess those people had some serious underlying mental health issues.

Marijuana may not be for everyone, just as some prefer ibuprofen over acetaminophen or Coke over Pepsi. I think we can all agree one should never practise impaired regardless if it's being drunk being high or being too tired. Soon enough it'll be legal everywhere and this conversation will no longer persist.

[Abguy]

I think weed is virtually harmless. Obviously shouldn't be under the influence during work but outside of work I think it's a better choice the alcohol any day and studies only continue to prove this.

[Slhengy]

Psychotic? Suicidal?

These posts have a lot of misinformation throughout. Sounds like some people watched Reefer Madness and believed it! Drugs will have different effect on different people, and some people have some serious side effects when using marijuana, such as anxiety, hyperemesis, palpitations, and ataxia. Some people get euphoria, analgesia, anti nausea or appetite stimulation, but go psycho and commit suicide? I'm going to guess those people had some serious underlying mental health issues.

Marijuana may not be for everyone, just as some prefer ibuprofen over acetaminophen or Coke over Pepsi. I think we can all agree one should never practise impaired regardless if it's being drunk being high or being too tired. Soon enough it'll be legal everywhere and this conversation will no longer persist.

Agreed! There have been no such reports in Colorado. Alcohol on the other hand......

Drinking too much can harm your health. One in 10 deaths among working-age adults aged 20–64 years are due to excessive alcohol use. Alcohol Deaths

| Features | CDC

[Slhengy]

weed has changed and it is so unpredictable from the homegrown stuff they used to have in the 70s i have so many pataients who have smoked it and become psychotic and suicidal so no thanks not worth it to me

That's so NOT true. They have actually perfected all of the strains sold legally and publicly. Here in Colorado you can literally walk into a dispensary and tell them exactly how you want to feel (THC) or not feel (CBD) and they will tell you exactly which strain you need in either the flower, oil or edible. They even have lotions, patches and tinctures with both THC and CBD. The industry here is heavily regulated by the state so everything has to be in tip top shape. The plants are constantly being tested for all sorts of additives, chemicals and pesticides. You put something in there that they don't approve of and they don't fine you....they shut you down!

[Abguy]

They are just beginning to scratch the surface for the medicinal applications for Mary Jane. That being said the dispensaries are highly regulated and held to high standards. I've read many comments on here and it's obvious that many of those people on here have never been to a dispensary.

[nancy nurse 1]

If it were legal, I'd be doing it but I'm not going to risk my license. Some day soon....

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

We obviously lived in different parts of Colorado.

I've never been around a chronic user (giggle!) who functioned better than anyone. The decades-long potheads I've been around are usually menial job workers who have 2-3 equally minimum wage roommates or an equally pot headed spouse.

They all have been low-performing people who had problems keeping a job. Also, a few of them were self treating psych issues. Some were suffering from PTSD (Vietnam, y'all, I am getting old).

It didn't really help the PTSD so much in the one guy, he thought the Viet Cong was coming after him in the foothills of NC. Kinda sad.

The marijuana users I know are NOT fun to be around in between doses. AT ALL.

Interesting-your anecdotes are similar to the results of this study:

Heavy, persistent pot use linked to economic and social problems at midlife

A research study that followed children from birth up to age 38 has found that people who smoked cannabis four or more days of the week over many years ended up in a lower social class than their parents, with lower-paying, less skilled and less prestigious jobs than those who were not regular cannabis smokers. These regular and persistent users also experienced more financial, work-related and relationship difficulties, which worsened as the number of years of regular cannabis use progressed.

I'd like to see more research on long term pot use, as well as research on driving impairment after consuming marijuana. I saw one informal study (really just an experiment with a few subjects who smoked then took a driving test) in which the subjects really didn't do that badly on the driving test after consuming. But it would not qualify as actual research.

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

Marijuana may not be for everyone, just as some prefer ibuprofen over acetaminophen or Coke over Pepsi. I think we can all agree one should never practise impaired regardless if it's being drunk being high or being too tired. Soon enough it'll be legal everywhere and this conversation will no longer persist.

I really don't know why this notion persists after the number of times it's been posted that even in states where it's legal, the courts have ruled that employers have the right to refuse to hire or fire employees who use marijuana, regardless of its legality. It's also been stated numerous times that many hospitals are already penalizing employees who test positive for nicotine, a completely legal substance. Do not assume that legalizing pot will change anything with regard to the risk nurses take with their careers if they use.

[BostonFNP, APRN]

I'm not sure that using an illicit substance to treat the symptoms of a chronic disease caused by used of other illicit substances is a solid platform for an argument.

Regardless of personal opinions, using marijuana in any form, is against federal law and could result in a loss of license. Most of us, I would assume, have too much invested in our careers to risk it on a cheap high. Even more concerning is the issue of patient safety, as numerous studies have demonstrated cognitive impairment evident up to 4 weeks after use. It is highly lipophilic and is altering at very low concentrations in the blood stream.

[BostonFNP, APRN]

I'd like to see more research on long term pot use, as well as research on driving impairment after consuming marijuana.

Li, M. C., Brady, J. E., DiMaggio, C. J., Lusardi, A. R., Tzong, K. Y., & Li, G. (2012). Marijuana use and motor vehicle crashes. Epidemiologic reviews,34(1), 65-72.

Salomonsen-Sautel, S., Min, S. J., Sakai, J. T., Thurstone, C., & Hopfer, C. (2014). Trends in fatal motor vehicle crashes before and after marijuana commercialization in Colorado. Drug and alcohol dependence, 140, 137-144.

[HazeKomp, BSN, RN]

Never tried it. Won't try it.

Do NOT care if it is legal or not, feel it is terribly unprofessional and unsafe to be under the influence.

I am an old nurse with many chronic aches and pains but I never, ever work with any medication stronger than Motrin/Aleve/Tylenol on board.