VentMedic Posted October 28, 2009 Posted October 28, 2009 Colorado newspaper hiring marijuana critic 10/20/2009 http://www.insidebayarea.com/search/ci_13601956?IADID=Search-www.insidebayarea.com-www.insidebayarea.com DENVER—The store has a television lounge and a pool table, and snacks and acupuncture are free for customers who drop up to $130 an ounce on 16 varieties of marijuana. But a reviewer of the business warns the decor looks a little cliche, what with the Grateful Dead posters on the wall and the Mexican-blanket tablecloths. The medical marijuana review business is booming as states like Colorado and California have seen an explosion in the number of pot shops. A Denver alternative newspaper recently posted an ad for what some consider the sweetest job in journalism—a reviewer of the state's marijuana dispensaries and their products. Medical marijuana users can also look to dozens of review Web sites, even mainstream rating sites such as Yelp or Citysearch, to find their high. At least five iPhone applications allow weed fans to find the closest place to legally buy bud in the 14 states that allow some sort of medical marijuana. The Denver paper, Westword, has already has gotten more than 120 applicants, many of them offering to do the reviews for free. When the newspaper settles on a permanent critic for its new "Mile Highs and Lows" column, industry watchers say, it will be the first professional newspaper critic of medical marijuana in the country. There's one condition: The critic has to have a medical ailment that allows them to legally enter a dispensary, and buy and use marijuana. Read more at: http://www.insidebayarea.com/search/ci_13601956?IADID=Search-www.insidebayarea.com-www.insidebayarea.com
FireMedic65 Posted October 28, 2009 Posted October 28, 2009 You can bash this reply all you want, but I ALL FOR THIS. Marijuana isn't all that bad. It's surely not as bad FOR YOU as cigarettes are. I will admit, when I was younger and I did smoke it a few times. It wasn't super duper awesome or anything. It was, relaxing. I had a good enough enough on my shoulders, that I treated it just like I do with alcohol now. If I smoked, I did not drive. Yes, it does impair you! Face it though, so does alcohol.. A LOT WORSE. Anyway, it my my belief that it should be allowed for medical use, if not for everyday use. But only if it is regulated like alcohol is. My father, had MS. He smoked it. His disease left him in chronic (no pun intended) pain. He was dizzy all the time from medications treating the MS. I don't feel I need to list all the symptoms he had with the MS. But when he smoked the marijuana, he felt better. Hands down, felt better. That was enough reasoning for me. He was a sick man, and it made him feel better. 1
VentMedic Posted October 28, 2009 Author Posted October 28, 2009 Definitely not bashing it as a few of the hospitals I have been at support it for medical uses and do believe it is better than Marinol. It definitely is a better perspective on marijuana than reading the numerous threads on an EMT forum about "I smoke pot. Can I be an EMT?" 1
Siffaliss Posted October 28, 2009 Posted October 28, 2009 Colorado newspaper hiring marijuana critic 10/20/2009 http://www.insidebayarea.com/search/ci_13601956?IADID=Search-www.insidebayarea.com-www.insidebayarea.com DENVER—The store has a television lounge and a pool table, and snacks and acupuncture are free for customers who drop up to $130 an ounce on 16 varieties of marijuana. But a reviewer of the business warns the decor looks a little cliche, what with the Grateful Dead posters on the wall and the Mexican-blanket tablecloths. The medical marijuana review business is booming as states like Colorado and California have seen an explosion in the number of pot shops. A Denver alternative newspaper recently posted an ad for what some consider the sweetest job in journalism—a reviewer of the state's marijuana dispensaries and their products. Medical marijuana users can also look to dozens of review Web sites, even mainstream rating sites such as Yelp or Citysearch, to find their high. At least five iPhone applications allow weed fans to find the closest place to legally buy bud in the 14 states that allow some sort of medical marijuana. The Denver paper, Westword, has already has gotten more than 120 applicants, many of them offering to do the reviews for free. When the newspaper settles on a permanent critic for its new "Mile Highs and Lows" column, industry watchers say, it will be the first professional newspaper critic of medical marijuana in the country. There's one condition: The critic has to have a medical ailment that allows them to legally enter a dispensary, and buy and use marijuana. Read more at: http://www.insidebayarea.com/search/ci_13601956?IADID=Search-www.insidebayarea.com-www.insidebayarea.com ... just when I thought I had heard it all ... 3
FireMedic65 Posted October 28, 2009 Posted October 28, 2009 Definitely not bashing it as a few of the hospitals I have been at support it for medical uses and do believe it is better than Marinol. It definitely is a better perspective on marijuana than reading the numerous threads on an EMT forum about "I smoke pot. Can I be an EMT?" Working while high/drunk is bad no matter what the job is. EMS is no exception. The place I work and have been at, even volunteer organizations, all have rules put into place that you are not to consume any alcohol 24hrs prior to your shift. If you show up to work still drunk/hung over. You are sent home and most likely fired. Smoking pot should be controlled the just same as alcohol. Be a certain age to buy it, a certain age to smoke it. Get caught smoking/buying it for some one else. You are arrested and fined just like you are now. Smoking and driving should not be allowed, just like alcohol. But this isn't about legalizing it for general public use. It's about medical use, which I stand behind 100%! If it helps the patient, if it helps them feel better, why withhold from them?
funkytomtom Posted October 28, 2009 Posted October 28, 2009 Working while high/drunk is bad no matter what the job is. EMS is no exception. The place I work and have been at, even volunteer organizations, all have rules put into place that you are not to consume any alcohol 24hrs prior to your shift. If you show up to work still drunk/hung over. You are sent home and most likely fired. Smoking pot should be controlled the just same as alcohol. Be a certain age to buy it, a certain age to smoke it. Get caught smoking/buying it for some one else. You are arrested and fined just like you are now. Smoking and driving should not be allowed, just like alcohol. But this isn't about legalizing it for general public use. It's about medical use, which I stand behind 100%! If it helps the patient, if it helps them feel better, why withhold from them? Couldn't agree more. Much ado about nothing if you ask me. Its funny that alcohol is so widely accepted when I know we all go on calls involving alcohol. I would go as far as to say 70 percent of the calls I've been on so far involve booze. I'm not ok with marijuana while driving or on the job, but I have yet to be dispatched to an overdose involving a bong. Anyways, I'm sure there's a lot of people who want that job, the competition will be about as fierce as pot-heads can manage.
scubanurse Posted October 28, 2009 Posted October 28, 2009 As someone who is in pretty much constant pain... I am all for medical marijuana. I have not yet used it, but it is something my doctors and I have discussed. Narcotics have horrible side affects which affect my daily life so I do not like to take them but then I am in a lot of pain and sometimes can hardly walk to the door without wanting to cry. I agree with tomtom... I'm sure we've all been on plenty alcohol OD's or prescription drug OD's...how many weed OD's have you gone on?? As long as it is controlled like alcohol/narcotic drugs, then why not??
crotchitymedic1986 Posted October 28, 2009 Posted October 28, 2009 Here is the only problem with your pro-marijuana stance: Currently, the testing for this drug only proves that you have smoked it in the past 30 days, it is difficult to pinpoint exactly when you did it; two hours before your shift, or two weeks ago. So, do you want an EMT who is just barely buzzing to drive your rig ? How about your brain surgeon, is it Ok if fired one up 12 hours ago ? I agree, the war on drugs is as stupid as "prohibition" was in the last century. Legalize it, tax it, make those who indulge pay more for their health insurance premiums, and alot of our crime will go away.
scubanurse Posted October 28, 2009 Posted October 28, 2009 Legalize it, tax it, make those who indulge pay more for their health insurance premiums, and alot of our crime will go away. A little off topic...but are you going to make those who indulge in fast food restaurants pay more for health insurnace? How about those who speed or drive recklessly? Or how about women who have sex as they will inevitably have a child which costs the insurance company more money? Where do you draw the line when you start increasing insurance premiums for one group of people? As far as marijuana in EMS and other professions, I think it should be treated as any other drug. I've known people who think it is okay to work after taking benedryl or nyquil. There's no test for those that I know of to determine when you took it... I think marijuana should be considered a controlled prescription drug, same as oxycontin, vicodin, percocet, etc.. and if you are taking those, you wouldn't consider going in to work or operating on someones brain.
spenac Posted October 28, 2009 Posted October 28, 2009 A little off topic...but are you going to make those who indulge in fast food restaurants pay more for health insurance? How about those who speed or drive recklessly? Actually there is a move to add fast food to the so called sin tax. I'm all for it. Many that drive fast/get tickets do pay higher insurance rates. If mary jane is legalized at least taxes can be collected which will benefit everyone. Right now only the drug lords benefit from the finances, plus even those that get it for medical use can not be sure of the quality. If legalized and regulated to certain standards could be safer for all that choose it.
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