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Something to Consider
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Something to Consider Disclaimer: The proceeding does not imply that I am either pro or con, it is simply something worth considering. Twenty three states have enacted laws to legally regulate medicinal marijuana usage. There have been countless individuals holding prominent positions in our government going on the record supporting its benefits. Joycelyn Elders, MD, former US Surgeon General states, "The evidence is overwhelming that marijuana can relieve certain types of pain, nausea, vomiting and other symptoms caused by such illnesses as multiple sclerosis, cancer and AIDS -- or by the harsh drugs sometimes used to treat them. And it can do so with remarkable safety. Indeed, marijuana is less toxic than many of the drugs that physicians prescribe every day." In spite of it's apparent support, several organizations and individuals have opposed its use. John Walters, Director, Office of National drug Control Policy went on the record stating, "Smoked marijuana damages the brain, heart, lungs, and immune system. It impairs learning and interferes with memory, perception, and judgment. Smoked marijuana contains cancer-causing compounds and has been implicated in a high percentage of automobile crashes and workplace accidents." While I agree that in some cases, there are overwhelming benefits to its use, there is enticement for individuals who do not need or meet the specifications for being prescribed marijuana for medical reasons to abuse this drug. Being a therapist, is a job that can be morally challenging at times. Sometimes I feel like my need to unload and confess their indiscretions. A majority of my routinely smoke marijuana recreationally and claim it helps to calm their nerves and reduce anxiety. I don't disagree with this at all. However for me, an ethical dilemma arises when a who holds a prominent position and a medical license uses their position and medical license to abuse the drug. (think doctors, surgeons, dentists, anesthesiologists) Often they confess to routine recreational (not medicinal) marijuana use. By the way, Kansas is not one of the pro marijuana states. As a medical professional that has to maintain liability/malpractice insurance, that is certainly a consideration I have because we live in a society that is extremely litigation-focused. Now imagine for a moment, it were your physician, surgeon, anesthesiologist, or dentist that was a frequent pot smoker. Would that undermine your confidence in them being able to remain competent in doing their job? I don't care what your stance is on this subject. I am simply wondering how you might feel if you had to undergo a surgical or medical procedure by a medical professional who was under the influence of marijuana while you were under their care. Would you trust your life to them?  |
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IMO, marijuana should be treated like alcohol legally and tax-wise. It's illegality fills prisons (corporate prisons) with people who had effectively possessed a bottle of alcohol. Lots more to say no where near enough time or space. When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro. The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.
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I'm guessing that sometime in the past I have crossed paths with a professional who was a regular user of marijuana......and alcohol.......and probably any other drug you can imagine. I would prefer they not be under the influence of any mind-altering substances during the performance of their jobs.
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I've not heard one, not one, argument against marijuana that can't be made against many substances that are currently legal. Go ahead and juggle that ethical football around for a while. Take that last, bolded argument. Who says my doc isn't drunk already? Or been popping some of that oxy he's been prescribing? The same safeguards against that apply to marijuana usage already. Applicants for a job aren't being whiz-quizzed for so much that they could already be abusing. Voted for it to be legal today. Smart as a horse and hung like Einstein.
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Marijuana is illegal on a federal level, the law as it is should be enforced as it is, and any states who violate it should be taken to court and the FBI should go in and shut down any place of sale, and burn the merchandise. If the law gets changed on a federal level to make medical usage fine, OK. If you want to legalize it as a recreational drug, fuck no. I'll never support that. Aut viam inveniam aut faciam Tips for Guys to Meet Women  Things i miss most about relationships
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I'm going to go with what most on here are saying....as long the medical professional is not impaired while doing his/her job, what they do while not working is not really my business. They should be competent both physically and mentally while performing their job or be willing to pay the consequences up to and including imprisonment. As several have stated already, it's not at all unheard of for a medical professional to abuse either alcohol or prescription drugs, sometimes while performing procedures. Pagan  Hmmmm....I know I left that wand around here somewhere!
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I wouldn't want any medical professional practicing their trade while under the influence of weed, alcohol, prescription drugs or anything else that might mess with their perceptions or performance regardless of who they may be working on. The people I've known who were regular frequent users of weed tended to get a bit lax in their standards of performance and attitudes which is not a good thing for the healthcare industry. Otherwise I would have to say that people that are using the weed for recreational purposes are less of a problem then people who use alcohol for recreational use. They are still impaired when it comes to work, driving or anything else though. Vermont is likely going to legalize marijuana soon. I believe it has more to do with taxes than anything. They are saying it would make it more difficult for minors to get the stuff but I'm not buying that. I guess it will be the new state plant for the Green Mountain State.  I don't believe there should be people getting prison sentences for selling, growing, using or anything else to do with marijuana, other then to minors. I do believe people selling heroin, cocaine, crack, illegal prescription drugs, etc. should be spending some time in the lockup but not life or 10-20 years. People should not be treated as criminals for possession of small amounts of drugs when they need treatment. Though getting them to actually go to treatment and stop using the stuff is usually not very successful at least not until they are actually wanting to do it themselves. The problem is the crime they commit while using or to support their use. Anyone involved in a crime where injury or death to another person is the result should be seeing a long time behind bars. There have been a lot of people getting nailed for bringing heroin into Vermont lately but there are still people getting through with the supply. Now the people moving or involved with the moving of very large shipments should be getting the long sentences. It was in the news that a guy was busted with a shipment of heroin, 88 lbs about 5 million dollars they said. So long, see ya in 20. Vive La Difference
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There are more under the influence of alcohol and we've been putting our lives in their hand for years.
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myelin36 replies on 10/29/2015 9:45 pm: You don't hear me taking a stance on this issue either way. I'm just naturally curious what others think about it. Maybe not, but there is a bias, everybody has one. Smart as a horse and hung like Einstein.
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10/31/2015 4:51 am |
Its a parrallel universe when it comes to marijuana and I don't see why. A lot of valid points made in the comments here. I can't really add anything different. I do feel that people tend to focus on the recreational use of weed I think the medicinal purposes of it would really rock the pharmecuetical companies if hemp oil or just plain old hemp was introduced as a remedy to the maladies we face. Seeing that its a plant it cant be patented, so a synthetic version is what they try to come up with and can't. As for people in professional places being under the influence of anything while working is a no no period. It should be a no brainer but not in this day an time Please, just call me diggy.
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Morning, I would not want them rendering care to me while under the influence. Take care, H
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The problem is that people do not use marijuana for medicinal purpose but to fill the head! At 100% only 2% use it for medicinal purposes ... And anyone who says otherwise this lying, sorry .... But I am in favor of decriminalization because it is better to help the state to be filling the ass to traffickers. I have also been consumer ... And much !!
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Very good question, and I'd definitely not want to go into surgery with a Dr. that was high, or under the influence of anything else. High people forget things, lose sense of time, and have a dismissal attitude towards problems. In my experience, people that are high don't do well under stress.
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I love that
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and ur right
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