Nurses smoking weed?

VioletKaliLPN, LPN · May 15, 2016

I saw this thread in my inbox. Although it is older, I want to make a statement.

During chemotherapy, even though it is illegal in my state. I used a vape pen to use marijuana. I was on aloxi, phernergan, zofran, ativan, compazine, decadron, but NOTHING touched my nausea like marijuana.

I used it during chemo, and immediately D/C it when I was finished. I did not practice Nursing during this time.

My 2 cents.

dedicated_2b_RN · May 15, 2016

What a crazy question how many nurses are gonna admit to

using weed you do know weed is not legal in most states

lollololololol lololololololol

CapeCodMermaid, RN · May 15, 2016

Quote from juanitarn

I think marijuana is a crutch. I hate to think I am being cared for in the hospital by persons who need a crutch. Marijuana is not only illegal in most states it is psychologically additive. A well adjusted person does not need a mind lifting drug. I am against the use of marijuana in all cases especially by persons who are supposed to be mirroring good health practices to help create healthy individuals in our care.

Juanitarn: REALLY? Do you exercise every day? Do you eat too much? Use too much salt? Your tone was very condescending and holier than thou. I went to college in the 70s. Everyone I knew smoked weed. None of us became addicted to it physically or psychologically.

I also drink alcohol. Why? Because I like the taste. I do not get drunk and would never think of going to work impaired by anything. I would rather have someone take care of me who smoked weed the night before than someone who got drunk the night before. Do I smoke weed now? No because it's illegal. If it were legal I might consider smoking every now and then. I had chemotherapy years ago. My oncologist whispered to me (still don't know why he whispered because we were the only ones in the room) 'if you can find some marijuana, you might want to smoke it...it'll really help with the side effects. I laughed at him....I had a 4 year old and a 2 year old at home...couldn't be a high mommy.

MunoRN, RN · May 16, 2016

I think marijuana is a crutch. I hate to think I am being cared for in the hospital by persons who need a crutch. Marijuana is not only illegal in most states it is psychologically additive. A well adjusted person does not need a mind lifting drug. I am against the use of marijuana in all cases especially by persons who are supposed to be mirroring good health practices to help create healthy individuals in our care.

If anything that can be described as a "psychological addiction" (as opposed to a physical addiction) is a "crutch" that should prevent someone from being a nurse, then I'm not sure who would be left to still be nurses.

I'm psychologically addicted to mountain biking and skiing, if I can't do one of those things at least once a week then I get irritable, anxious, preoccupied, distracted, etc. Same goes for reading in bed before going to sleep, as I discovered with our first child and the "no lights on" in the bedroom rule that came with her. Because of my issues with using these "crutches" am I unfit to be a nurse?

sherri64 · May 16, 2016

To Violet: I'm glad it worked for you, especially when nothing else did. I hope you have a full and lasting recovery. You are a great example of why we need medical marijuana to be available.

allnurses Guide · May 16, 2016

I saw this thread in my inbox. Although it is older, I want to make a statement.
During chemotherapy, even though it is illegal in my state. I used a vape pen to use marijuana. I was on aloxi, phernergan, zofran, ativan, compazine, decadron, but NOTHING touched my nausea like marijuana.
I used it during chemo, and immediately D/C it when I was finished. I did not practice Nursing during this time.
My 2 cents.

I don't think too many people would have issue with the way you used mj. I see that and think thank God you found something that worked!

cayenne06, MSN, CNM · May 19, 2016

OMG this conversation just feels like it is going around in circles. Of course marijuana has risks, both professionally and to your health. It is dumb to smoke pot if it might cost you your livelihood. Setting aside medical use, marijuana is a recreational drug and a person has to decide if the benefits of smoking outweigh the negatives. Much like many of us decide that the benefit of a third hot dog (or third glass of wine) outweighs the potential downsides, or that the benefits of that trip to the gym do NOT outweigh the negatives of getting out of your pjs. For the vast majority of marijuana users (those without a license on the line, etc), the risk/benefit ratio is similarly benign-ish.

Of course some people abuse marijuana and it ruins their life, and I am sure some people get high before work, just like some people have a water bottle of vodka in the purse. This is all terrible and bad, but as a society we seem to have accepted that making alcohol illegal did not stop people from drinking away their life and harming others in the process. Yet we still rely on prohibition and criminalization for all the other recreational drugs, despite decades of painful defeat in the "War."

Whether or not we think drinking or smoking pot or shooting heroin is a good decision, people are still going to do it, and some people will develop a problem. The question is not if we think smoking pot is good or bad for us or whether people who do it are dumb or lazy- the question is, what can we do to mitigate harm and protect the public health? Do our current drug policies effect these goals? Does consideration for an individual's right to privacy have a place in drug policy?

It is true that, objectively and rationally, marijuana should be regulated similarly to tobacco and alcohol- and I support heavy state taxation on pot, alcohol and tobacco. It is also true that someone who smokes marijuana recreationally and responsibly is no less qualified than the same nurse who might go to a bar on a Friday night. It is 100% true that there is no rational basis for current federal drug policy regarding marijuana (and many other things, of course), and that such regulations do not decrease use or improve public safety, and in fact create direct harm in some cases.

We can all agree on that, right?

TL;DR: nurses should be able to smoke pot, but we cannot, so don't do it until/unless it is both legal and not included in workplace drug screening. People who smoke pot do so in much the same way that people consume alcohol; that is, with varying degrees of moderation and responsibility. Prohibition and criminalization are not effective at decreasing use, nor are they effective in preventing people from developing dependencies or addictions. They do, however, increase profoundly the negative sequelae of drug use and dependency, both for the individual users, their families, and society overall.

wolf9653 · May 19, 2016

It is not "Legal" in all states, as they are superseded by federal law. So even if it is 'legal' in your state, I wouldn't be surprised if a recent use in a drug test would be justified discipline in the use of illegal substances. I wonder what the various states boards of nurses directives on this are.Among other things, poor character as evidenced by use of illegal drugs. BTW I'm not passing judgement on the person's use here, just the legal and professional ramifications.

wolf9653 · May 19, 2016

re:nicotine in schizophrenics. IIHR the nicotine blocks dopamine receptors.

wolf9653 · May 19, 2016

Don't be surprised if some companies do drug checks when there is an incident or accident.

I'm surprised by the amount of nurses that are against weed. And to such a degree at that! Personally I do smoke weed because I'm not being drug tested outside of the initial employment one. And no, I'm not under the influence when I'm at work. I only smoke on off days and if on a work day, then very early as I work night shift.

Horseshoe, BSN, RN · May 19, 2016

Don't be surprised if some companies do drug checks when there is an incident or accident.

I was drug tested after I hurt my back at work. I certainly didn't plan to hurt myself. I would have been SOL if I wasn't clean.

tinybbynurse · May 19, 2016

At my hospital .... they don't even drug test people upon hire. Yes, they have the right to random test you ....but no drug test upon hire?! That was a first for me !!! Apparently some people say it's because if they did ....they'd lose a lot of nurses haha. I live in the green mountain state .....and we have a lot of people who smoke weed here ....I personally don't, but I don't think it's horrible unless you're a pothead and abuse it, and I mean, that's the equivalent of being an alcoholic and I drink. So without abuse, it'd whatever. But I'd never do it and screw up my career over it. This is definitely becoming a tricky thing in our country lately !