List Archives

Tue, 11 Jun 2002 07:36:35 -0300

Dear Dave=20

Does your department also do random breathalyzers on officers and are =
the
occasional positive tests followed by instant dismissal no questions =
asked?

Tom Horan

> ----------
> From: 	Dave Adler EMT-P[SMTP:daveadler_emtp@msn.com]
> Reply To: 	trauma-list@trauma.org
> Sent: 	Ter=E7a-feira, 11 de Junho de 2002 02:05
> To: 	trauma-list@trauma.org
> Subject: 	RE: Drug (ab)use in Medicine?
>=20
> Andrew wrote: Never seen anybody injured while fighting with a man on
> marijuana, or anyone killed by a man driving his car while 'stoned'.
> Seen thousands of people injured or killed because of alcohol. Lets =
get
> that into perspective!!
>=20
> Andy,
>=20
> I want to move to wherever you live.  Here, I see those two things
> weekly, some weeks daily. =20
>=20
> I've made 30 or so DUI arrests this year (I'm a full-time police
> sergeant in Philadelphia).  In 13 of those cases, marijuana has been =
the
> intoxicant.  Of those 13, 5 have involved accidents with injuries.  =
You
> don't even want to know the number of assaults I've handled where
> marijuana has been a factor.
>=20
> The notion that marijuana is a harmless, or less-harmful, drug is a
> fallacy. =20
>=20
> Of course, all other arguments aside, there is one that is =
irrefutable.
> Marijuana is illegal in my neck of the woods.  Those in a position of
> public trust cannot fail to abide by the law and expect to maintain
> their positions.  By way of example, if you get caught using in my
> service (and we do frequent, random drug testing) you're fired.  No
> questions asked.  Not to mention that a conviction for a drug offense
> can cost someone their license/certification.
>=20
>=20
> Dave Adler, EMT-P
> Editor, Prehospital Perspective Magazine
> www.prehospital-perspective.com
> adler@prehospital-perspective.com=20
> =20
> =20
>=20
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: trauma-list-admin@trauma.org
> [mailto:trauma-list-admin@trauma.org]
> > On Behalf Of andrew frazer
> > Sent: Sunday, June 09, 2002 3:30 PM
> > To: trauma-list@trauma.org
> > Subject: Re: Drug (ab)use in Medicine?
> >=20
> >=20
> >=20
> >=20
> > >From: "Cotton, Chris (SAAS)" <cotton.chris@saambulance.com.au>
> > >Reply-To: trauma-list@trauma.org
> > >To: "'trauma-list@trauma.org'" <trauma-list@trauma.org>
> > >Subject: Drug (ab)use in Medicine?
> > >Date: Sun, 9 Jun 2002 16:11:07 +0930
> > >
> > >......... I turn the lights off, light some incense, stoke my pipe
> and
> > I'm
> > >taken on a musical journey for an hour. Hey - it works for
> > me.............
> > >
> > >Chris - just what do you put in that pipe?   :)
> > >
> > >John
> > >
> > >Dr John L Holmes
> > >Director Emergency Medicine
> > >Mater Hospitals, Brisbane, Australia
> > >
> > >
> > >Hmmmm, i could give the boring answer, or one that might stimulate
> some
> > >discussion, and perhaps even debate. I do this not necessarily as =
an
> > >advocate of what follows, but in the interest of seeing how other
> trauma
> > >players view the topic. We can be lame and ignore it, or we can =
look
> at
> > it
> > >and discuss it.
> > >
> > >Hypothetically, suppose i said it was marijuana that i put in the
> pipe;
> > and
> > >that i did it because i found it stimulating to my musical ear, it
> > >increased
> > >my clarity of thought and i enjoyed the sensation of being mildly
> stoned
> > >OCCASIONALLY? Would one cite studies that categorically denied =
that
> this
> > >might be a desireable side effect in some people?
> > >
> > >Would people start immediately citing references to studies that
> showed
> > the
> > >deleterious effects of the drug? Would they then also do the same =
for
> PDI
> > >inhibitors like caffeine, or other epidemiological studies that
> showed
> > the
> > >effects of alcohol and tobacco and their impacts on society?
> > >
> > >Would one then dare ask how many EMS workers use marijuana (or =
other
> > drugs)
> > >occasionally, and how many of them may infact have spent longer in
> the
> > job
> > >because they employed a behaviour that helped them take time out =
from
> > their
> > >jobs occasionally and gave them "stress relief" perhaps. Their
> equivalent
> > >of
> > >the Theatre, gardening or a concert perhaps?
> > >
> > >Remember that this is only hypothetical, so please don't shoot the
> > >messenger
> > >for asking legitimate questions and bringing up discussion that
> examines
> > >drug use by EMS workers. I know a lot of people in the EMS =
industry
> who
> > do
> > >use different drugs, both legitimate and illicit occasionally.
> > >Understanding
> > >what they use and a having a responsible attitude to their use, in
> their
> > >eyes does not necessarily correlate as an issue for most of them.
> > >
> > >Regards,
> > >Chris Cotton
> > >Intensive Care Paramedic.
> > >
> > >
> > >--
> > >trauma-list : TRAUMA.ORG
> > >To change your settings or unsubscribe visit:
> > >http://www.trauma.org/traumalist.html
> >=20
> >=20
> > Never seen anybody injured while fighting with a man on marijuana, =
or
> > anyone
> > killed by a man driving his car while 'stoned'. Seen thousands of
> people
> > injured or killed because of alcohol. Lets get that into =
perspective!!
> >=20
> > Andy. (Not a user!) Casualty Nurse.
> >=20
> > _________________________________________________________________
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> >=20
> >=20
> > --
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>=20
> --
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>=20

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Drug (ab)use in Medicine?