Marijuana use and health care
Marijuana remains the most abused drug in the United States. The arguments for and against legalizing marijuana continue to mount. This article is not intended to set the stage for a debate on the legalization of marijuana. Instead, I want the precautionary professionals whose patients in their care test positive for marijuana. Marijuana use is still prohibited by federal law, and patients who self-medicate or abuse marijuana should not be prescribed controlled substances. Unfortunately, many physicians are often faced with the dilemma of whether or not to prescribe controlled substances to patients who test positive for drugs for marijuana. This is particularly the case in states that have modified state laws to legalize marijuana. These changes in state law do not change the federal guidelines that physicians must follow. As a former career DEA agent, I remind doctors that marijuana remains an illegal Schedule I controlled substance with no accepted medical use in the US The fa...