Pot comments.

I've been writing this blog for years and it all comes back to one post I made on marijuana use.  I log in to see comments posted on an article I wrote 4-5 years ago... and a lot of them.

The simple facts are:
Marijuana is mind altering.
Marijuana is illegal on a Federal level with or without prescription.
Only 19 states have medical marijuana provisions. (http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000881).
No states allow recreational marijuana use.

Every single comment I get accuses paramedics of destroying their liver by being alcoholics. It would seem that the "Pot-Heads" have no further argument other than to call all paramedics alcoholics.

Another simple fact is that alcohol is legal, marijuana is not.

My personal opinion?   Well, guess what... it's changed.  My opinion is that what consenting adults do in their free time that does not affect their job performance is their business. I wouldn't want a drunk clinician in a squad nor would I want a high one.  I don't use marijuana, but I can't say I wouldn't if it were legal, or as legal and controlled as alcohol.

Although my children would strongly disagree, I can't make policy for the world; I can't set the tone for an entire industry.  It's illegal, you will be tested.  If you fail the test you will be denied employment.  If you want that to change, throw more money at it.  Get a stronger political lobby.  "Smoke the Vote" but do so knowing you might go to jail for it.

Consider this.  How much money does the tobacco lobby have? What would be a great market for the tobacco people? Wouldn't it make more sense to try and leverage that industry and money than constantly fight it?  I hear how much "safer" pot is for you than tobacco.  It's all fucking lies, but I hear it a lot anyway.  I mean think about it a second.... burning substance (any substance), minus a filter = bad for the lungs.  You're going to get NO WHERE trying to tout pot as safe....so why try?   Get a few big tobacco companies in your pocket to push the agenda of walking into the store and buying "20 Class A Joints" and you might be on to something.

Personally if I HAD to make a choice (and I mean HAD TO) I'd rather ride in a car with someone high on marijuana driving  than someone twice the legal limit on alcohol.  I've never been to a domestic violence scene where the marijuana user was the aggressor but I have been to thousands of drunk calls that resulted in violence.

Until such a time comes when marijuana is LEGAL, not just decriminalized or legalized for medicinal use us poor alcoholic medics will muddle on.

Heres to your liver!