can i doctor report a patient for using marijuana

As a general rule, if you use cannabis in a standard manner, your doctor is not interested in reporting you or getting you in some sort of trouble. Seriously. Even the federal government advised against testing for THC when looking for illegal substances when prescribing patients pain medication.

Full Answer

When should you report suspected marijuana use?

Determining when to report suspected marijuana use can be extremely tricky. If you or your staff find a child in possession of drugs or drug paraphernalia, it should be immediately reported.

Should I tell my friend that his doctor disapproves of marijuana?

If it’s just that he disapproves of legal marijuana use, that’s an abuse of the doctor-patient relationship. Patients aren’t obliged to help their doctors enforce a tyrannical demand, so there would be no moral reason your friend should inform him of his cannabis use.

Can doctors and nurses legally use marijuana?

Doctors and nurses that are visa or green card holders cannot legally use marijuana due to federal immigration laws, even if it is legal under their state laws. Non-US citizens are subject to federal laws that consider the possession and use of cannabis illegal, even for medical purposes.

Do I have to report legal marijuana use by parents?

If you notice a significant change in a parent’s behavior or the quality of care the child is receiving at home, there may be cause for concern and reporting as well. You should also consult local licensing to get input regarding your responsibility to report legal marijuana use by parents to ensure you are upholding the law as mandated reporters.

Can I tell my doctor I smoke marijuana?

It is critical to tell your doctor if you are using any cannabis product. Like any drug, cannabis is broken down into various active chemicals that your body can use by liver enzymes.

How do doctors feel about medical marijuana?

Doctors' Responses 69% say it can help with certain treatments and conditions. 67% say it should be a medical option for patients. 56% support making it legal nationwide. 50% of doctors in states where it is not legal say it should be legal in their states.

What is the process of becoming a medical marijuana patient?

Part of becoming a medical marijuana patient means being registered in the state database. This is a necessary step for states to monitor who is using marijuana, who is prescribing marijuana and who is dispensing it. Some states also use the database to track the effectiveness of treatments on various conditions.

Do employers have a drug policy?

While most employers have a prohibition on drinking alcohol or coming to work under the influence, explicit or unspoken, many do not have a drug policy that specifically deals with cannabis. Workplaces that do random or frequent drug testing, though, pose a bit of a problem for medical marijuana patients.

Can you still use marijuana if you are a registered user?

Although you’re a registered marijuana user and your cannabis is prescribed by a medical doctor, you could still run into legal trouble. The federal law is in conflict with many state laws on the issue of marijuana, and who chooses to enforce which law at any given time can be confusing.

Is marijuana law changing?

Marijuana laws are changing rapidly across the country, while attitudes about marijuana use in some areas change rather slowly. For the foreseeable future, Americans will be governed by a set of contradictory and often arbitrary laws about medical marijuana. As a marijuana patient, it’s up to you to know and exercise your rights for the betterment of your own health.

Can you use marijuana at home?

Using cannabis at home to ease your symptoms can be fairly easy. You follow the instructions of the marijuana doctor who prescribed the cannabis for you. You obtain your marijuana at an approved facility, and you brief everyone in your household about your medical need to consume marijuana.

Is it better to disclose too much or too little to your doctor?

It’s always better to disclose too much than too little to your doctor. Even if you used drugs a long time ago in high school or college, it’s still a good idea to let your doctor know. They might want to do extra blood tests depending on what drug you use.

Can you take someone else's prescription?

We don’t advise taking someone else’s prescriptions. Something that’s safe in one person might be dangerous in another, depending on their medical history. However, it’s good for your doctor to know if you took someone else’s medication because if it worked for you and is a safe option, your doctor might prescribe it for you. ...

Can a doctor report drug use to the police?

No. Your doctor isn’t legally allowed to report drug use to the police. The only situations in which doctors can break confidentially is if there’s concern about someone seriously harming themselves or others. Our main focus is on your health and how to partner with you to improve your health.

What to do if you know you have a substance use problem?

If you know you have a substance use problem, it’s time to talk to your doctor, even if the drug (s) you’re using are illegal. The point of talking to your doctor is to seek and obtain the kind of treatment that will help you stop abusing drugs and end your addiction. Your doctor can help you find the right treatment.

What is the biggest fear people face when just thinking about admitting substance use to their doctor?

The biggest fear people face when just thinking about admitting substance use to their doctor is consequences. Discomfort grows when a person is using an illegal substance. The biggest fear is being reported to the authorities. Thanks to doctor-patient confidentiality, this fear is often only as big as you make it.

Can drug use affect insurance?

Those records can then be submitted to your insurance agency, and they can then use those records to increase premiums, deny payment, or deny coverage for certain conditions and/or procedures. It is possible that admitting to drug use could affect future coverage when most needed.

Do doctors report injuries?

Harm Must be Reported: By law and ethics, a doctor must report severe bodily injury. For example, if a doctor were to fail to report a bullet or gunshot wound, a powder burn, or other injury resulting from the discharge of a gun or firearm, they risk a Class A misdemeanor.

Can a doctor discuss drug use?

A doctor cannot discuss the information you share in confidence, and if they do, you can take legal recourse, even when admitting something like heroin or cocaine use. If you choose to talk to your doctor about illegal substance use, you can, in most cases, rest assured that your conversation will remain confidential.

The rise of cannabis use in the U.S. and the challenge it presents from a healthcare perspective

With the rise and popularity of cannabis in the U.S., you may be wondering whether it could work for you. As research and education of healthcare professionals catch up, it means your healthcare provider may not know all of the potential risks and benefits. Many providers are not trained in medical cannabis and may not be able to advise you.

How cannabis use can affect drug interactions

As cannabis products grow in popularity, many people have become interested in using them. That being said, it is not the right choice for everyone. Just like all medications, cannabis has drug interactions that you should be aware of before starting it.

If you disclose illegal cannabis use to your doctor, can you get in trouble?

If you are worried your provider may tell the authorities about your interest in or use of cannabis, you can breathe a sigh of relief. Due to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), providers are not allowed to share your health information with others not part of your healthcare team.

The bottom line

Healthcare providers who advise people to use medical cannabis are used to evaluating the risks and benefits of adding cannabis to a current medication regimen. After a full evaluation of your health background, medication list, and lifestyle, you and your provider can decide whether cannabis is the right choice for you.

What does it mean when a doctor disapproves of marijuana?

If it’s just that he disapproves of legal marijuana use, that’s an abuse of the doctor-patient relationship. Patients aren’t obliged to help their doctors enforce a tyrannical demand, so there would be no moral reason your friend should inform him of his cannabis use.

Is treating pain subjective?

Treating pain involves subjective considerations that make it very different from giving chemotherapy, which is why people skilled at the second sometimes falter at the first. And if your friend can’t come to terms with this oncologist, the oncologist is ethically required to find him another. The New York Times.

Can a doctor fire a patient?

Yes, doctors sometimes “fire” patients they find unpleasant, overly demanding or abusive. But the American Medical Association rightly calls for physicians to ensure “continuity of care” in these cases — which involves making sure that the patient can secure another physician.

Does cannabis help with cancer?

Cannabis is routinely recommended for cancer patients to improve appetite, decrease nausea and alleviate pain. The medical literature is fairly consistent on the efficacy and minimal side effects of cannabis, which has specifically been shown to help patients decrease opioid dependence.

What to do if you are stressed about a doctor's visit?

If you’re stressing about an upcoming doctor’s visit, take a deep breath. You’ll be fine. Be honest with your doctor and prepare for less-than-positive responses. Even if your doctor responds with disdain, you have a right to confidentiality and a right to receive medical care with all of the factors in mind.

Does physician-patient privilege extend to criminal matters?

This physician-patient privilege does not extend into criminal matters. Different states handle matters in their own ways, but it is important to be aware that confidentiality may be lost when other criminal matters are involved. Doctors are also required to report severe bodily injuries and harm.

Does cannabis require more anesthesia?

Here’s why: Cannabis users require more anesthesia than non-users. One study found that cannabis users needed an additional 14% of fentanyl, 19.6% of midazolam, and 220.5% more propofol for anesthesia during an endoscopy. If you decide to leave your cannabis use out of the picture when discussing surgery with your doctor, ...

Do doctors report a person who has been harmed?

Doctors are also required to report severe bodily injuries and harm. If you were to have been severely harmed, they may need to share the information with others. As a general rule, if you use cannabis in a standard manner, your doctor is not interested in reporting you or getting you in some sort of trouble. Seriously.

Can a doctor share your information about cannabis?

It goes far beyond cannabis, too. Any form of drug use, from heroin to cocaine, should not result in your doctor sharing your details. If you’re worried to share that you use cannabis in a state where it is illegal, you can relax knowing that the information you share must be kept in confidence, in most cases.

Can you lie to your doctor about cannabis?

In anticipation of a negative response, many cannabis users will just lie to their doctor. They don’t want any disapproving looks or lectures about their lifestyle, so they instead say “no” when the topic comes up. While it’s easy to see why this may be tempting, we always advise against lying to your doctor.

Can you use cannabis under anesthesia?

Instead, it is noted that cannabis use must be considered when putting patients under anesthesia. ““The research does not suggest that people should not use cannabis,” said Mark A. Twardowski, DO, with Western Medical Associates in Grand Junction, Colo. “It just suggests that the use is not without consequences.