opinion on legalization of marijuana in Canada

wrightgd · Feb 12, 2002

This is one of those discussions where everyone has their own opinion.... This is mine...

There's no use in discussing the merits of either substance... Both are harmful to the body, and both can cause varying degrees of impairment to the user. Still there are individuals who will choose to use, or possibly abuse these drugs. You can't stop that, no matter what legislation you pass.

The issue of legislating the use of these drugs is also different because of the difference in the drugs. These drugs are two different animals completely. The duration period of impairment is different, and that is one of the bigger issues as far as safety is concerned. Marijuana stays in the body longer. It's fat soluble, so if you're overweight and you smoke it on a frequent basis, the user may be "impaired" for more than 48 hours after the last use, even if they feel fine. Government tests with aircraft pilots in simulators have demonstrated this.

If you want to trust your life to someone who decides that a joint on Sunday afternoon is ok, then support legalization... Open heart surgery by Dr. Doobie!!! :chuckle Not me...

It's not about being a goodie goodie, its about knowing the effects of the chemicals you put into your body. We have a hard enough time maintaining safety in workplaces. Who wants to worry about the endless possibilities that truck drivers, airline pilots, factory workers, and even health care workers... might have on board as they try to do their jobs.

For those who will stand up and ask "What about our rights?" I say, "what about the right of everyone else to not be endangered by someone who wants to use drugs" (including ETOH). Who will stand up then and take responsibility for the results of their impaired actions?

I wonder?....

micro, RN · Feb 12, 2002

whew!!!!!!!!!

thisnurse · Feb 12, 2002

i may be for the legalization of marijuana but i am not for going to work, flying a plane, driving a car stoned.

as far as marijuana staying in the body longer, this is true but it is no longer circulated thru the blood...there are no long lasting effects. i would like to see your research...for real, im trying to debate your point but i would like to learn more.

people that drink and or smoke weed give up their rights when they get behind the wheel of a car, or fly a plane, care for a patient...whatever.

Cubby · Feb 13, 2002

Sucevicd;Have you contacted NORML? They should have plenty of info for you!

fergus51 · Feb 13, 2002

Or maybe something about it tearing apart families when a parent is incarcerated for recreational marijuana use. Negative impact on the family and this is one of the social determinants of health (single parent families=lower income= lower health status in general).... This is a tough question~!

fergus51 · Feb 13, 2002

Or how about something about the potency and content of the joints would be regulated by the gov't? Then there would be no super potent or laced joints to screw people up...

mattcastens · Feb 13, 2002

Originally posted by thisnurse
people are smoking it matt. they are going to smoke it whether it is legal or not. keeping it illegal crowds our already overpopulated jails and keeps the underground rich.

I simply see this is flawed logic. So what if people are already smoking it? People are already smoking crack and you say we shouldn't legalize that. I don't agree with the penalties that we have for pot right now. A jail sentence is inappropriate.

The reason we can't ban alcohol and tobacco is because it won't work. But I still feel that as nurses we shouldn't promote the legalization of a health hazard. We would be (or should be) fighting the legalization of both if they were newly discovered. We should be promoting health no matter what the "peer pressure" of society.

As for the pot overdose, the symptoms were profound respiratory depression and seizures. The man had been eating pot brownies for three days. All symptoms subsided as things were metabolized.

**canoehead, BSN, RN** · Feb 13, 2002

I was for legalizin pot until I heard that it could still affect performance days later. We'd have to have fairly frequent drug testing on the job and I don't know if that would be worth it.

As for pot vrs alcohol, alcohol makes people more aggressive at times along with the lack of judgement. Pot takes away judgement but gives the smoker a lethargic sense of well being. I think I would rather deal with a high family member than a drunk one.

thisnurse · Feb 13, 2002

matt you have some very good points. i just have always thought that as a society its a double standard. if we say its ok to be high on alcohol, then why is it NOT ok to be high on weed?

as far as i am concerned they are nearly the same.

you keep bringing up crack, there is no comparison between them and its not really a good analogy.

crack is addicting, crack is dangerous.

im talking about the nature of the drug, not driving under the influence or anything else, just the effects.

when you consider the prohibition, isnt it the same thing? there was a core group that believed that alcohol should never be legal. then came the speakeasys.

you say that i am using flawed logic when i say that it should be legal because people are already doing it, and yet you use the exact same logic when you say that we cant ban alcohol because its already legal and it wont work.

(people are already doing it)

im not sure i believe that it affects performance for days. id like to see some facts regarding that.

as for the overdose. it makes sense that ingesting it (or any other substance) could result in overdose. if it were smoked i doubt that it would cause OD since my guess is the smoker would pass out before it came to that. have you any ideas the physiology of severe respiratory depression?

due to sedetave effects maybe?

in the context of the topic of this thread, you are correct in saying that as nurses we should not promote any healthful behavior, but in reality matt, we ALL do this, whether or not its smoking, drinking, weed, food, whatever. i think there is a difference between the things we should do and the reality of what we do.

canoe, im with you on dealing with high vs drunk family members. the high ones just dont have the energy or desire to be violent.

as a side note, i dont smoke pot. i dont drink. ive seen alcohol and the effects of it destroy lives. not just the lives and health of the drinker, but the families as well. the negative effects of drinking are far reaching. i have stories but i will spare you..lol

i have just never understood the mentality of saying that its ok be high on alcohol, but its not ok to be high on marijuana. it should be all or none. i believe we should either make one legal OR make them both illegal. since it makes no sense to make alcohol illegal, it does make sense to me to make weed legal...and oh the tax money we could enjoy.

i have enjoyed this debate and i respect you all for your opinions. (even tho you are wrong matt...lmao, sorry i couldnt help it)

RNed · Feb 13, 2002

Sucevid, Is marijuana a nurisng issue and should nurses take at stand?

Unfotunately, we have perconceived ideas of pot based in history and experince. When, I look at the issue of pot as a medical tool and a medical tool only. I believe there is room to have additonal studies regarding the medical use of marijauna. All chemicals currently used have benefits and pitfalls. Each use is defined and their abuses and dangers identified.

Opiates in society are abused, yet, we use this chemical daily in healthcare. The fact that marijuana is considered a recreational drug and therefore is not worthy of additonal studies for possible medical benefits is wrong and in my humble opinion is worthy of nursing support for the continue research of possible benefit.

Yes, nursing can and should support the medical use of marijuana as an adjucnt to medically treatable disease or at least support the research. Leeches at one time were used and then discarded as nonsense. Never-the-less we have again see leeches with a medically defined benefit.

I see no reason to rule something out, which might add to our medical tool chest, just because some of society abuses the chemical.

As to it being available over the counter, so to speak. We see many drugs which by concentration only is made available over the counter. Can and should marijuana be made this way?

Maybe, have there been any studies related to the concentration, effects. abuses, long term use and benefits of marijuana use. Low dose situational anti-depression therapy, anti-emetic therapy, adjucnt chemotherapy medication are all within the realm of possiblitlities. I suspect if a pharm company was to get on the bandwagon and throw there support behind this issue, a medical grade marijuana would capture support and eventually make its way to market.

EXOTIC NURSE, RN · Feb 13, 2002

I say legalize it !!!!!!... I think by legalizing it would cut back on some of the the illegal dealings and take some of the illegal drugs off the streets it may not be a big difference but it will make a difference. I say tax the marijuana like cigerettes are being taxed and then give the extra monies to the health professionals like NURSES for starters, Just as a person can make a decision to smoke a "spliff" before work or take a "drink" would not be appropriate it would be more classified as a recreational type of activity with limits of course. There are a lot of individuals who smoke " spliffs " nurses included day before work " I do not but I know ones who do and no one is none the wiser. So you basically take a chance if you do legalize it or if you don't. I am not saying it is right to put anything mind altering into your body before you go to work especially if you are dealing with lives but what I am saying is that it is being done and will continue to be done which does not make it right.......so I am for legalizing Marijuana....

MarnnaRN · Feb 13, 2002

exotic nurse, aren't you obligatd to turn that nurse in for drug abuse?