Nurses smoking weed?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

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.

Specializes in Family Medicine, Tele/Cardiac, Camp.

I've tried it a handful of times and admit I do miss it occasionally. But it's not worth losing my license over. I've worked too blasted hard to get to where I am today and even though it is legal in several states that I frequently visit, it isn't legal federally. Plus, as nurses, we're just held to higher standards than the general public.

That being said, I do think it needs to be moved out of schedule I status and decriminalized to a greater extent. It's really a pretty incredible substance that has great antiemetic and analgesic properties.

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Specializes in ER.
Are we being punked?

First of all, if I did, I surely wouldn't be posting about it here.

Secondly, I don't drink or smoke. After caring for patients that do both, I don't think I ever can.

I love my liver and lungs too much.[/QUOT

so far from what I've read posted here on this topic, I find it quite limiting, to say the least. It will become federally legal. Most states it IS legal. I think we all can agree smoking anything is bad for our health, but there are other ways to consume Marijuana. I personally don't, but once educated on Marijuana and it's medicinal benefits, you will realize it is used for seizures, pain, depression, etc and on and on. Edibles, vaporizing, etc. It is less stinky. The Cannibidiols are what contains the healing properties. Marinol has been around for years in pill form, but with limited prescribing my providers due to either stigma or ignorance, or both. It is ridiculously a schedule A, higher than Cocaine. I have never, nor will I ever, see an overdose of death from Marijuana. Come on, people, wake up and get a clue. There will have to be some way to place limits on Marijuana prior to work, as we don't go to work drunk or under the influence of anything and there are tests for that. With Marijuana that sticks around in your system, in your fat cells, but where you are not under any influence would be complicated for testing.

I think everyone should calm down. I don't personally like many things, but if it doesn't affect me at work or in my personal choices, then I do not care. I don't like Rum, or Whiskey, or black sneakers. If others do, that's fine. More for them. I think as nurses, we should stop being so judgmental.

Look up Sanjay Gupta's story on Charlotte's Web

Marijuana stops child's severe seizures - CNN.com

He admits he has been wrong about Marijuana. There's so much information out there, just research and learn. It will be rescheduled and won't be listed as a "narcotic," one day, probably sooner than later. The government has a PATENT on Marijuana, so of course it will be legal once they can get the taxes for it. Big business will be booming. Think of this as the prohibition era, it is coming. Don't be narrow minded. Like I said, I don't personally like it, but since there are medicinal benefits, it is just ignorant to ignore.

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I think everyone should calm down.

Where has anyone on this thread been not calm? :bored:

I think we've had a pretty good discussion and it wasn't about making it legal. That a whole other thread and there are many on here about that issue.

Not sure anyone needs to calm down. If so, show me the post.

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LOL. I agree with you, that was a blatant pot-stirring post that doesn't even go with the thread.

Heh. Pot stirring.

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Specializes in L&D.

Absolutely not and no interest in doing so.

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Specializes in ER.
Where has anyone on this thread been not calm? :bored:

I think we've had a pretty good discussion and it wasn't about making it legal. That a whole other thread and there are many on here about that issue.

Not sure anyone needs to calm down. If so, show me the post.[/quote

referring to the judgment implied in the responses. Calm down is more to say, stop being so judgmental as if there aren't benefits to Marijuana.

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I don't care to take in any substances that can mess my with mind. Marijuana is not as terrible as some legal substances like alcohol and prescription opioids. Honestly, those two substances are more gateway drugs than marijuana is.

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referring to the judgment implied in the responses. Calm down is more to say, stop being so judgmental as if there aren't benefits to Marijuana.

I didn't feel that anyone was being judgmental. The consensus has been that smoking marijuana is not worth the possibility of losing your job. And employers can refuse to employ or fire nurses who test positively on a drug test. Some employers have even started doing it for nicotine as well.

Whether or not it will be federally legalized is a separate matter. For the time being, it has not been federally legalized.

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I haven't read anyone being judgmental either. This thread was merely about whether it is a good idea for nurses to smoke weed. And risk their license.

It isn't a good idea, in my opinion, to risk it. And for what really? Marijuana isn't THAT much fun. :cool:

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We have legalized medicinal marijuana in my state. I have chronic pain and sleep problems related to arthritis (30+ years as a working RN). I am sure using medicinal marijuana would help relax me to sleep, but there is no way I am using it. There is no doubt in my mind that the BRN would pull my license if I ever happened to test positive for THC.

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Specializes in ER.

Maybe the original post was about related to work, but the thread is a moving beast and as such morphed. Obviously no one needs to be under the influence at work. They will have to decide once it's legal federally how to test nurses. The current method won't fly. It can be in your system for 30 days and one wouldn't be "under the influence" some people find it fun. More attributed to one's brain chemistry, I believe. Of course no one should jeopardize their job, but alcohol is legal and we all know how not to be intoxicated at work, so the discussion should start about how those nurses might want to indulge and how long to be free of that before clocking in.

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Specializes in Ortho, CMSRN.

I don't have a problem with other people doing it, but I am of the opinion that a workplace has the right to hire anyone they want. My workplace doesn't hire cigarette smokers knowingly. I think if they prefer someone who can pass a drug test, that's their right. If you're hired somewhere that expects you to be drug free, do the honorable thing and be drug free. It is ridiculous to put a (usually unnecessary) habit like that in front of your career. However, if your job allows it... by all means, enjoy it. I enjoyed a joint or two before nursing school ;)

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