Newspaper trumpet the legalization marijuana in several states. Articles track implementation of medical marijuana production, products, and sales in states with existing medical marijuana laws. Everyone is investing in marijuana producers and distributors.

On November 12, 2018 the Philadelphia Inquirer reports with fanfare there are 84,000 Pennsylvanians registered as medical marijuana patients. The article emphasizes medical marijuana is not treating the medical condition stated on the licensee’s card. Rather it is used to control medical symptoms of the 21 different serious medical conditions. Importantly, medical marijuana is replacing opiates to control pain and other disruptive physiological manifestations that originate from a diagnosed medical condition. This is success.

Medical marijuana is not treating the underlying medical condition. For example, the nausea , anxiety, insomnia, and pain from cancer. PTSD, cancer, bowel diseases, and opiate-use disorder are the most common medical conditions.

Pennsylvania limits THC delivery mechanisms. Smoking marijuana buds or flower gives a THC affect that lasts several hours. Ingesting THC oils takes an hour to “work” but lasts 3 to 4 hours. Eating THC edibles (brownies, gummy’s, crackers or other items) lasts 8 to 10 hours after an hour delay.

The import of these statistics and the divergent time periods the THC “high” lasts cannot be overstated. One fact is clear; at least 84,000 people are driving under the influence of marijuana in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. This is because having any level of THC in one’s blood and operating a motor vehicle is a crime. Driving under the influence of marijuana is a violation of 75 Pa. C.S.A. 3802D. Pot and a DUI Charge.  My prior blogs on what is a DRE a pot DUI and those issues are going to surface more and more every day.The DUI, a DRE and a Letter of Concern.

Pennsylvania licensees requiring medical marijuana to treat the symptoms of a medical condition will be working with THC in their bloodstream. In essence, these licensees are coming to work high. They are either under the short or long term affect of marijuana. Workplace related to drug tests will reveal marijuana in the licensee’s blood. This will generate an automatic referral to a prospective respective licensing board for investigation.

There is no Family Medical Leave Act or American With Disabilities exception under the medical related licensing regulations in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Testing positive for pot based upon a diagnosed medical condition could result in The Mental and Physical Evaluation which concludes a licensee is unable to safely practice their profession due to a marijuana addiction. The addiction stems from the medical need similar to an opiate addiction which began after a traumatic or significant pain related event or medical procedure.

Call me to discuss your case. The statistics do not bode well for Pennsylvania Pot card holders who are also licensees in the medical profession. In this opiate-addicted overdose environment, the Pennsylvania medical related boards are now vigilantly investigating and prosecuting medical marijuana users who the boards think are masquerading as competent and capable professionals who are in fact addicted to pot.