Nurses Who Smoke Marijuana

Nurses Recovery

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I am currently taking my prerequisites for Nursing. I know two nurses, one is a friend of my mothers and she is a Nurse Practitioner and my boyfriend's mother is a charge nurse in the ICU. Both of them smoke Marijuana (occasionally) and they haven't had any issues with their career. Although I have seen a thread on allnurses talking about a woman being fired from her job because she tested positive for Marijuana during a random drug test at work. So my question is, why do some people get FIRED for smoking marijuana but some don't and continue to advance in their career with no issues? Is it just because they didn't get caught through drug testing? Do Nurses know when their employers will be giving drug tests or how often?

Thanks!

"....If you smoke pot, you could potentially lose your freedom to practice nursing. Do I think this is right? No. It's ridiculous. Marijauna users are no more likely to have a drug problem than occassional alcohol drinkers....."

Despite the numerous posters on this board who admit that their drug problem STARTED with marijuana??? Wake up.

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Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.
DavidKarl said:
I'll mention this point again, while we debate alcohol, marijuana, Vicodin, and the like. In three states, I believe I discovered, you are now asked by the BON if you have been diagnosed with any mental disorder (including DEPRESSION), or have you been counseled by any mental health practitioner since your last renewal application, and are you taking ANY psychoactive medications INCLUDING antidepressants, for any condition? So, the nanny state is tightening up. Taking an antidepressant may flag your BON, that may need you to be 'evaluated', and possibly even monitored (as if you had committed a crime by treating your depression, since be neing diagnsied with depression, you may be a risk to patient safety?). So, the issue of medical and prescribed marijuana stands out front- are you really safe using that? Using anything? Forewarned= forearmed.

My old state did not ask that question, neither does the state I just moved to. What state asks the depression question on the application for license? If they denied license to everyone on SSRI's, there would be a severe nursing shortage in that state. Sorry, but I'm going to have to see evidence of this myself.

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I'm curious about people's thoughts and experiences with states that have decriminalized possession/use. Maryland is expected to move to civil penalties instead of criminal shortly. Any thoughts?

https://www.baltimoresun.com/politics/bal-lawmakers-decriminalize-marijuana-20140407-story.html

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@BusyBee91: regardless of how any state penalizes one for smoking pot- the state BON will continue to see it as a huge "no-no" for licensed health professionals.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.
Anona-mouse said:
"....If you smoke pot, you could potentially lose your freedom to practice nursing. Do I think this is right? No. It's ridiculous. Marijauna users are no more likely to have a drug problem than occassional alcohol drinkers....."

Despite the numerous posters on this board who admit that their drug problem STARTED with marijuana??? Wake up.

Alcohol is the gateway drug, not marijuana.

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toomuchbaloney said:
Alcohol is the gateway drug, not marijuana.

Or tobacco -- the ultimate "gateway drug."

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Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.

That's 10 years from now (maybe). The fact is, right here, right now, nurses can and DO LOSE (not loose!!!) their hard-earned licenses for deciding to partake in illegal activities such as indulging in pot.

nisteber said:
Times are changing, in ten years you aren't going to get your license taken away. It's just not going to happen. Maine is about to legalize it next. It's really too bad you lost your license for that long. It's actually awful. I hear some nurses going home after a long shift and drinking a lot of wine by themselves and falling asleep. Holy crap sounds like alcohol abuse to me. Marijuana is no where near as harmful, it's only a matter of time until its moved off of the schedule one drug list and legalized for adults. The girl with fat thumbs is living in the past and is very misinformed.
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I came across this thread just today. I have just applied for nursing school, and am awaiting the decision from my school's DON. In the meantime, because I KNOW that this the career I want with all my heart, I'm doing my research now to see what lifestyle changes I need to make in order to be successful in my future career (which is what brought me to this thread). I do currently recreationally use marijuana, and tend to have a very liberal point of view on this topic politically. I agree with many posters of this thread who argue it should be legalized and that (with better, more accurate screening methods) it should be okay for medical professionals to use on their time off. HOWEVER, I am choosing nursing because it's what I want to do with my life. I want to serve others. This means SACRIFICE. I want to be a nurse so badly I am willing to take out loans to pay for school, give up my free time to study, and some of my sanity just to get through it all. Why wouldn't I also give up smoking marijuana? It's just another sacrifice I know I will make to do a job I know I want to do. I am going into this profession knowing that it is something I just cannot do anymore. It will suck. I don't drink because it makes me feel awful, and I use MJ to relax in the same way a person would have one glass of wine after a hard day. I may not think it's fair, but you know what....I will do it anyway because, again, this is what I must do to have the career I want. I know what I'm getting myself into just by applying to school, and I'm still choosing to go ahead with the process. It's called putting on your big-girl pants. I plan to start the quitting process over the summer so I can be clean for any UA they may give me in clinicals. I appreciate all the thought provoking advice and opinions shared here. Regardless of where you fall politically, all you nurses rock! I cannot wait to (hopefully) be one too! Xoxo

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Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.

WOW!, what a mature decision and response. I applaud your taking responsibility and doing whatever it takes to achieve your dream. Making excuses, pointing fingers, arguing a pointless point rarely works and its awesome that you aren't even attempting to go down that road. Fingers crossed that you get into school and fulfill your dream!!

Darwin said:
I came across this thread just today. I have just applied for nursing school and am awaiting the decision from my school's DON. In the meantime, because I KNOW that this the career I want with all my heart, I'm doing my research now to see what lifestyle changes I need to make in order to be successful in my future career (which is what brought me to this thread). I do currently recreationally use marijuana, and tend to have a very liberal point of view on this topic politically. I agree with many posters of this thread who argue it should be legalized and that (with better, more accurate screening methods) it should be okay for medical professionals to use on their time off. HOWEVER, I am choosing nursing because it's what I want to do with my life. I want to serve others. This means SACRIFICE. I want to be a nurse so badly I am willing to take out loans to pay for school, give up my free time to study, and some of my sanity just to get through it all. Why wouldn't I also give up smoking marijuana? It's just another sacrifice I know I will make to do a job I know I want to do. I am going into this profession knowing that it is something I just cannot do anymore. It will suck. I don't drink because it makes me feel awful, and I use MJ to relax in the same way a person would have one glass of wine after a hard day. I may not think it's fair, but you know what....I will do it anyway because, again, this is what I must do to have the career I want. I know what I'm getting myself into just by applying to school, and I'm still choosing to go ahead with the process. It's called putting on your big-girl pants. I plan to start the quitting process over the Summer so I can be clean for any UA they may give me in clinicals. I appreciate all the thought provoking advice and opinions shared here. Regardless of where you fall politically, all you nurses rock! I cannot wait to (hopefully) be one too!
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Specializes in LTC, Management, MDS Nurse, Rehab.

Good choice. I lost my license for a period of time for smoking pot. Such a little thing changed my life entirely for many years.

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Stopped smoking over a month ago when I got MY ACCEPTANCE!!! Haven't missed it, haven't regretted it once! When you have a dream, and a goal you want to achieve, it's amazing how all the little stuff such as enjoying a smoke just doesn't seem to matter anymore. Yay!!!! (My lungs second that motion as well)

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Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.

Well said, Darwin's fangirl. Now if we could just adopt that attitude for excessive eating which is just another form of addiction.

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