Medical Marijuana

Krystle Barroga, Erin Chun, Michelle

Popek, Sonia Lipka, Kate Takahashi

Medical cannabis

Marijuana is listed by the Drug

Enforcement Agency (DEA) as an
illegal Schedule I drug with no
accepted medical use in the United
States, a lack of accepted safety for
use under medical supervision, and
a high potential for abuse.

Hawaii Medical Use of

Marijuana

Physician must register client with the Narcotics

Enforcement Division
Grow plants only at registered
clients/caregivers home or location owned by
them
May not exceed a total of 7 mature or immature
plants
Cant use: in school bus, public bus, moving
vehicle, workplace, school grounds, public park,
public beach, public recreation/youth center, or
other places accessible to the public
Cant sell

Qualifying Conditions

"Debilitating medical condition" means:

Cancer, glaucoma, positive status for human
immunodeficiency virus, acquired immune deficiency
syndrome
A chronic or debilitating disease or medical condition or
its treatment that produces one or more of the
following:
Cachexia or wasting syndrome
Severe pain
Severe nausea
Seizures, including those characteristic of epilepsy
Severe and persistent muscle spasms, including those
characteristic of multiple sclerosis
Crohn's disease

Ethical Decision-Making Model

1.Identify the problem:: 10-year old
Michael Jackson has suffered
from a rare form of epilepsy,
that, at its worst, caused him to
have to have 1000s seizures a
day. Nurse Kiwi is unsure about
administering marijuana to this
patient. What should she do?
2.Collect information:
Medical Marijuana is legal in Hawaii
Marijuana is a schedule I drug.
3.State the options
4. Apply ethical principles to the
options
5.Make the decision
6.Implement the decision

Code of Ethics

Provision 1: the nurse practices with compassion and

respect for the inherent dignity, worth, and unique
attributes of every person.
1.1 Respect for Human Dignity
1.2 The right to self determination

Patients have moral and legal right to determine what will

be done; to be given accurate, complete, and
understandable information, all available options in their
treatment. Nurses preserve, protect, support these interests.

Provision 3: the nurse promote, advocates for, and

protects the rights, health, and safety of the patient
3.5 Acting on questionable practice

Nurses primary commitment is to health, well-being, and

safety of the patient.

Something to think about

Active chemicals in marijuanacannabinoids (THC, cannabidiol) are being

used to treat a wide range of illnesses and
symptoms.
What does it do?- THC stimulates appetite
and nausea. Cannabidiol (nonpsychoactive cannabinoid) - pain,
inflammation, & controlling seizures.
THC-based drugs- FDA approved,
prescribed, and administered.
FDA-approved medications that contain
cannabinoids:

Dronabinol (Marinol)
Nabilone (Cesamet)
Sativex

Ethical principles:
Benefice
nce

Autonom
y

Veracity

Beneficence: duty not to inflict

harm
significant scientific evidence ?
Colorado- youth health
Acute and chronic bronchitis & lung
ca
Weakens the immune system
Unstable mixture of over 400
chemicals
Not FDA approved

Autonomy:
person is free to
make own
judgement
- gateway drug to
other.
-

- psychoactive
drugs
-

- safety concerns

- Mood & motor

effect

Veracity: truth
State & federal laws
Referring to marijuana as
medicine for young
adults?
Advertisements
Addictive

References:

Controlled Substance Schedules. (n.d.). Retrieved

March 17, 2015, from
http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/schedules/
(n.d.). Retrieved March 18, 2015, from
http://dps.hawaii.gov/wpcontent/uploads/2012/09/Physian-InformationMed-Marijuana-rev113011.pdf
Sommer, S., & Johnson, J. (n.d.). Nursing
leadership and management review module:
Edition 6.0 (Edition 6.0. ed.).
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (n.d.).
Retrieved March 17, 2015, from
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/PublicHealthFocus
/ucm421163.htm