List Archives

Wed, 12 Jun 2002 01:41:04 -0400

Since you asked- if I smell alcohol on one of my officers, I can order a
breathalyzer per policy.  If it's positive, he'll certainly be
suspended, and possibly fired.  If he's been driving, and he's over the
limit he'll be charged.

However, it's important to draw a distinction here- alcohol is legal.
Reporting to work while under the influence is certainly an exercise of
bad judgment.  Marijuana is illegal, and possessing or using it isn't
simply bad judgment it's a crime.  Big difference.

Dave Adler, EMT-P
Editor, Prehospital Perspective Magazine
www.prehospital-perspective.com
adler@prehospital-perspective.com=20
=20
=20

> -----Original Message-----
> From: trauma-list-admin@trauma.org
[mailto:trauma-list-admin@trauma.org]
> On Behalf Of Thomas Anthony Horan
> Sent: Tuesday, June 11, 2002 6:37 AM
> To: 'trauma-list@trauma.org'
> Subject: RE: Drug (ab)use in Medicine?
>=20
> 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?
>=20
> Tom Horan
>=20
> > ----------
> > 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?
> >
> > 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!!
> >
> > Andy,
> >
> > I want to move to wherever you live.  Here, I see those two things
> > weekly, some weeks daily.
> >
> > 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.
> >
> > The notion that marijuana is a harmless, or less-harmful, drug is a
> > fallacy.
> >
> > 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.
> >
> >
> > Dave Adler, EMT-P
> > Editor, Prehospital Perspective Magazine
> > www.prehospital-perspective.com
> > adler@prehospital-perspective.com
> >
> >
> >
> > > -----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?
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > >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
> > >
> > >
> > > 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!!
> > >
> > > Andy. (Not a user!) Casualty Nurse.
> > >
> > > _________________________________________________________________
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> > >
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> >
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> >
>=20
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Drug (ab)use in Medicine?