What would you do if your family member were doing drugs?

[BabyCatchr]

What would you do if someone in your household, ie husband or other family member, were doing drugs? ie, smoking pot, meth, hallucinogenics... Or what if it were a boyfriend, fiance, or sibling whose home you visited frequently? Couldn't this affect your job/license/nursing student status? What if they had something in their house/apartment when you were there, or in the vehicle when you were riding with them? Couldn't you get in trouble with the law too? If the person were given a citation and not arrested, could that affect your career? Remember, this is not just a friend - it is a family member. I have a vested interest in obtaining your opinion, but I decline to be more specific as this board isn't completely anonymous.

[MunoRN, RN]

Meth= illegal drug

Pot= illegal drug

Difference?

Vitamin D (50,000 USP) = prescription drug

Oxycontin = prescription drug

Difference?

[MunoRN, RN]

If possessing them? Apply handcuffs and take to jail. I don't have ANY tolerance for drug users.

My 87 year old grandmother in law now uses pot, I guess it's off to jail with her. Serves her right, she's lazy anyway, she doesn't even go to work anymore.

I've given my patients THC before, I hadn't thought to call the cops on them, but I'll remember that next time.

[bellupperdarbylpn]

In my opinnion pot VS Meth Is Like an SUV VS Mac TRuck yes they're both labeled as trucks but there are big differences between the two . now yes both drugs are horrible and I don't support any kind of addiction but if I ever was force to have to go against either hands down i would coose the pot!! just saying

[LoveMyBugs, BSN, CNA, RN]

My ex-husband is a meth addict, he started with pot to which I tolerated and ignored as long as it wasn't at our house.

2 years later he was using meth, hid it well for awhile untill he went on a drug binge, got another girl pregnant and spent 6months in jail and I ended up 10k in debt.

9 years later the ex-husband has had another child which the state took custody of, and is homeless due to his drug use.

He saw my kids for the first time in 8 years this last Christmas, I did that because after talking with him and seeing him I thought that it might be my boys one and only chance to see their biological father.

I dont want to get into a pot vs meth debat, but in this case the pot led to the meth use, and I would never ever trust a meth user, they will do anything and say anything they can to get their next hit.

So to the OP if your loved one is using something as serious as meth, my best advice to be is to seperate your self as much as you can from them.

[janaRNWV]

Pot is not the issue--it didn't "lead to meth use"--his disease led him to BOTH drugs. How many of us forget that alcohol is a drug, too, yet no one takes issue with someone having a few drinks once a week, or once a month, whatever? The majority of those folks don't have an addiction to any other drugs, so the idea of one drug leading to another isn't applicable in most cases IMO. Those who carry the disease of addiction will be more prone to abusing ALL drugs--trying a "low-level" drug like pot or alcohol is just one sign among many of behaviors that may or may not lead to full blown addiction/chronic abuse of ANY substance.

I agree, though, that associating with folks who are engaging in behaviors you either don't like, don't approve of, or know are illegal and could get you in trouble with the law/RN board shouldn't be tolerated. Do what you have to do until the person gets clean. If they can't do it, do what you have to do to be safe, secure, and happy.

[bagladyrn, RN]

The whole point isn't whether pot is as bad as meth or if it should be legalized. That is an issue to pursue politically or by making donations to those that do.

The issue at hand is that it IS currently illegal in most places and being caught with it in your home, car etc. whether you brought it in or not can result in loss of, or restriction on, your nursing license and loss of your ability to support yourself and your children.

Only the individual can decide if their tie to the user is more important than the risk, but be very clear about what you are risking.

For myself, there are friends and family who are not invited into my home and with whom I will only get together in a public place such as a restaurant for precisely this reason.

[nohika]

I was abused by my father for 15, 16 years. My brother's taken over now - it's not as bad as it could be, though.

I don't tolerate drugs, alcohol, tobacco, anything. Not in my house, not on your clothes, nothing. I can't handle it. My dad smokes, drinks, does pot (my sister thinks so, anyways). No way in hell am I voluntarily having that stuff in my future.

Just my opinion.

[NCRNMDM, ASN, RN]

I think in this situation you have to draw the line. They leave or you leave, you take all your possessions with you, you get custody of any children who might be involved, you will call the police, and you will attempt to get them into some form of treatment. If they had possession of drugs in a home or car that you happened to share with them, how would you ever prove that the drugs didn't belong to you? The police aren't simply going to take your word just because you're a nursing student or a nurse. This is a high risk situation and I advise you to get out NOW. People who are addicts don't care about others, or the damage they can do to them. All they care about is where their next high is coming from. As much as you may love this person, it isn't worth staying with them and putting your career and future on the line.