Medical Marijuana in Arizona

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RyanAnderson

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Going to start off by saying please do not reply to this post if it's not a serious response to the question, thank you in advance.

Alright, let's begin. I work as an EMT right now in Southern California, and was recently accepted into paramedic school in Arizona, where I plan on working as a medic after completing the program. I have had issues sleeping since I was a kid and the past year and a half I've been really struggling with getting proper sleep but I've just been pushing through it and working with around 3-5 hours of sleep every night. Anyways, my partner said that there are different laws in Arizona and that medical marijuana usage is legal there and that Arizona law protects employees from being terminated for solely having their medical card, or showing positive on a drug test for marijuana with a valid card. Now here is my main question, does anyone have any input on the 911 ambulance companies, like Southwest/Rural Metro/AMR and what their individual policies are for this? Also, no I will not be usin marijuana at work or within 12 hours of a shift and I would never jeapordize my career to simply smoke marijuana. It's simply the best sleep aid I've had and I've been on many different medications for sleep that I did not like or they would just make me feel sick in the morning so I don't take anything now and it's been tough. Anyways, would love to get some input and I appreciate the help!
Have a great day everyone.
 

akflightmedic

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Also, no I will not be usin marijuana at work or within 12 hours of a shift .

If you will not use it within 12 hours of your shift, how will you ever be fully rested and safe enough to work on my truck? And if I work you 3 days in a row (12 hour shifts or less)....then you will be even more liability to me since you will go several days without your sleep aid.

How could I ever call you in on short notice or during large scale event? You would be absolutely worthless for any recalls, empty shifts or overtime shifts...worthless because I would not know if you had used your sleep aid or not and I am trying to reduce my corporate risk.

It is easier and safer to pass on hiring you since there are a dozen others in line for same job who do not need a sleep aid.
 
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RyanAnderson

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To the post above, I'm currently working that schedule and doing alright without a sleep aid and it's never once rendered my patient care or affected my job performance. I am talking solely about off duty days and being able to fully be relaxed and recover a little bit better!
 

akflightmedic

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I did not say it impacted care. Did you read what I wrote?

I care about my company or the company....which behavior exposes me to greater POTENTIAL risk? One who uses a sleep aid or one who does not? As an employer why would I knowingly hire one who requires a sleep aid when I literally have dozens of people lined up for the same job?

Additionally, those people who do not need an aid I know in theory I could recall them at any time for extra shifts...you, I could not.

Again, I am not discussing the merits of medical marijuana or your care....I am giving you the other side which is benefit versus risk. What do you offer or what makes you so much more special than others to over ride my potential risk?
 

Kevinf

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A one-two punch of 50mg benadryl and 6mg melatonin will get almost anyone a good night's sleep. Had a sleep study done yet? If you aren't getting a good night's sleep due to something like sleep apnea it's better to correct the problem than medicate it.
 
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RyanAnderson

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@akflightmedic My apologies, I misread your response. I completely understand where that's coming from and I guess my only defense for that would be that it seems like not being hired for having trouble sleeping even when you're fully able to do your job would be on some level of discrimination against a new hire. Also, my medical records aren't going to be theirs to read about my issue sleeping. It's never posed a problem this question was just for my personal benefit!

@Kevinf This is something that has been consistent in my life since I was around 12 years old. I have had a sleep study done, I've taken Benadryl, melatonin, a handful of non-narcotic prescribed sleep medications (I didn't want to take ambien when the doc asked) throughout the years and nothing was able to work without me feeling terrible in the morning. My problem isn't staying asleep it's falling asleep. Benadryl will put me to sleep with a very high amount after about 3-4 hours (Did this with Doctor supervision). I eat extremely healthy and while I was seeing my doctor for this didn't drink soda at all for 2 months, there was no help with that. For the past two years I've gone to the gym every 3-5 days, and I'm in great shape. I have even gone to a therapist when I was in high school to see if it was an emotional issue why I was unable to fall asleep and that experience was inconclusive.

Now back to the question, I appreciate your guys input and it was great, however I'm simply just asking for input from people who are farmiliar with the paramedic/EMT process in Arizona with those companies! If they are the same as they are for my company now than I will just have to figure something out or try something new to get my sleep in line!
 

CALEMT

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it seems like not being hired for having trouble sleeping even when you're fully able to do your job would be on some level of discrimination against a new hire.

Dude you're smoking drugs to be able to sleep. Thats not discrimination if you can't pass a drug test you're simply not hired and or fired. I'm also pretty sure that theres something listed in ADOT about drugs (thats what this is) and operating a ambulance.
 
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RyanAnderson

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When in the post did I say that I was currently doing that? I had my medical marijuana card about a year prior to getting hired and it was the the best thing to help me sleep, my doctor literally said if I wasn't in my profession he would have recommended medical marijuana for me. I'm not "smoking drugs" to go to sleep, I'm simply asking about the policies of those companies in Arizona. Also, you don't have to pass a drug test to work and operate an ambulance; my partner takes adderall and failed his drug test due to amphetamines showing on the test, and all he did was send them a picture of his prescription, so there are exceptions. I have also worked with someone who takes ambien every night when he doesn't have work in the A.M. For sleep and is able to take that. I am just curious about the policies in Arizona since they have progressed more with their laws and created a state law for marijuana to protect employees.
 

luke_31

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Pretty sure that driving an ambulance and working on patients would probably qualify the job as safety-sensitive and make it legal to not hire or fire someone who uses marijuana.
 

luke_31

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When in the post did I say that I was currently doing that? I had my medical marijuana card about a year prior to getting hired and it was the the best thing to help me sleep, my doctor literally said if I wasn't in my profession he would have recommended medical marijuana for me. I'm not "smoking drugs" to go to sleep, I'm simply asking about the policies of those companies in Arizona. Also, you don't have to pass a drug test to work and operate an ambulance; my partner takes adderall and failed his drug test due to amphetamines showing on the test, and all he did was send them a picture of his prescription, so there are exceptions. I have also worked with someone who takes ambien every night when he doesn't have work in the A.M. For sleep and is able to take that. I am just curious about the policies in Arizona since they have progressed more with their laws and created a state law for marijuana to protect employees.
Those other drugs you mention have been in use for a while are accepted by mainstream medical providers and have a legal prescription that isn't illegal at the federal level.
 

CALEMT

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Also, you don't have to pass a drug test to work and operate an ambulance

Um, yes you do, unless you work for a company that doesn't do that. The companies you listed do drug test you at the time of employment. I don't know about AZ but I do know about AMR. You can't have any THC on your drug test. Yes its legal with a 215 card in CA but that doesn't mean we can smoke joints off duty. Were still held to a higher standard than the general public. Theres a quote that I like to use: Just because you can, doesn't mean that you should.
 

mamaliga

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See if you have a problem at work and you cannot smoke weed because you have constant checks or the company simply does not allow you to buy and you have tried many sleeping pills and you don’t like one of them, then you can try a medicine based on cannabinoids SBD oil..
 

ffemt8978

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