Can Nurses Smoke Weed?

If you’re considering nursing school or are already a nurse, you might wonder, Can nurses smoke weed? Over 22 million Americans report regular cannabis use, and it’s also a well-recognized treatment for managing pain, seizures, nausea, and more. If you use cannabis for medical or recreational purposes, you might worry about what that could mean for a nursing career.

Cultural perceptions around weed have shifted, but make no mistake — it’s still possible to lose a nursing job, and even a nursing license, for cannabis use. You’ll need to understand federal and state marijuana laws, as well as policies at your hospital and nursing board, to know where you stand.

(Map: ncsl.org)

Understanding Cannabis Laws and Policies

Cannabis remains federally classified as a Schedule I controlled substance. This means that it has no accepted medical use at the federal level, and is identified as having a high risk for abuse. But the story becomes more nuanced when we zoom in on individual states.

Across the U.S., state cannabis laws vary significantly, ranging from full legalization to strict prohibition, and individual counties and cities can even have different laws than their state. Understanding these key terms is essential in understanding cannabis laws:

• Decriminalization: The penalties for possession may be reduced, often treated as a civil infraction rather than a criminal offense. Note that decriminalization doesn’t equate to full legalization. Delaware, Virginia, and New Jersey are examples of states that have decriminalization laws.
• Legalization: This allows for both medicinal and recreational use. Individuals of legal age can purchase, possess, and use cannabis within the parameters set by state law. Colorado, Washington, Alaska, Oregon, and many other states have legalized cannabis for adults.
• Medical marijuana: Some states permit the use of cannabis for medical purposes through a medical card or registry system. This allows individuals with specific medical conditions to access cannabis under the supervision of a healthcare provider. In these states, recreational cannabis may or may not be legal or decriminalized.

So, Can You Smoke Weed as a Nurse?

The answer to this question depends on several factors:

• The state you live in and whether cannabis is illegal, decriminalized, or legal in certain amounts.
• Possessing a medical card could protect you in certain states.
• Federal employees are prohibited from using cannabis, regardless of where they live.
• Board of nursing and hospital policies differ around drug testing, and the consequences for a positive drug test.
• Substance timing is essential so that the nurse will not be under the influence at work. Nurses must be clear-headed and fully present during work hours.
• Personal risk tolerance can differ. For some nurses, using cannabis as a federally illegal substance is worth the risk to their job. For others, it’s not. If you’re applying to new jobs, you should know that most facilities run drug tests as part of their onboarding process.

In What States Can Nurses Smoke Weed?

Maybe you’re wondering what all of this means for states where cannabis is legal — can nurses smoke weed in California for example? To know whether you can legally use cannabis in your state, whether recreationally or medically, you’ll need to check your state’s cannabis laws for more information. Twenty-three states, two territories, and the District of Columbia have legalized small amounts of cannabis (marijuana) for adult recreational use, however nurses may still face consequences.

Even in states where cannabis is legal or decriminalized, your state board of nursing may have independent policies, and your workplace may have its own as well. In some states, like Tennessee, facilities are required to report a positive result on a drug test to the Department of Health if employees can’t provide a medical reason for the positive test. In addition, less than half of states have protection laws in place for employees with a medical card, and there are even fewer protections for employees who use cannabis recreationally.

Hospitals depend on federal funding for Medicare and Medicaid patients, and they can lose that funding if they violate federal law. This is why, even in states where cannabis is legal, you can still lose your job or face other consequences for using it.

Marijuana and Nursing: FAQs

Can nurses smoke weed with a medical card?

It depends on your state. For example, Arizona, Maine, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and other states have protections in place for employees with medical ID cards. However, about half of states with medical marijuana laws have no protections for employees.

Can I smoke weed if I’m a nurse?

If you live in a state where cannabis is legal, you technically can. However, you could still face consequences from your employers and the board of nursing in your state if you test positive for THC or are impaired on the job. Be sure to check your state and facility regulations.

What happens if you test positive for weed as a nurse?

It depends on where you live, your hospital’s policies, and the state board of nursing you practice under. These are some of the possible outcomes of a positive THC test:

• If your pre-work drug screening came back positive for marijuana, your employer may rescind a job offer.
• If you test positive for cannabis during nursing school, you can be removed from your program.
• You can be suspended from your job, and face a loss of income.
• Your board of nursing may require you to complete drug diversion training and be tested routinely for a period of time.
• If your state board of nursing believes you treated patients while under the influence of cannabis, you may lose your license.

Can nurses use CBD oil?

CBD oil can cause a positive THC result on a drug test, because many products contain more THC than the label says. Keep in mind that CBD is unregulated, so you may not be able to tell if a product has THC in it. Proceed with caution if you live in a state where marijuana is illegal.

How often are nurses drug tested?

It depends on your facility, but these are the most common times that nurses are drug tested:

• At the beginning of nursing school, and potentially randomly during school
• When applying for a state nursing license
• As part of a standard hospital onboarding requirement
• Random drug tests under hospital policies
• Drug tests under suspicion for substance use or diversion
• Drug tests after an injury or incident with a patient

Do travel nurses get drug tested?

Yes, travel nurses are likely to be drug tested by both their staffing agency and their facility during onboarding. Depending on your facility policies, you may also be subject to random drug screenings throughout your contract.

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Legal Disclaimer: This article contains general legal information, but it is not intended to constitute professional legal advice for any particular situation and should not be relied on as professional legal advice. Any references to the law may not be current as laws regularly change through updates in legislation, regulation, and case law at the federal and state level. Nothing in this article should be interpreted as creating an attorney-client relationship. If you have legal questions, you should seek the advice of an attorney licensed to practice in your jurisdiction.