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Introduction
Hello there. It’s Dr. Chou and thanks for reading another of my articles about medical marijuana.
Today we’re going to answer some common questions that we get regarding non-medical ramifications when using medical marijuana.
Now I generally refrain from discussing non-medical questions because I’m a doctor, not an attorney.
However, because I am often times the first point of contact for many people who seek medical marijuana, I get asked a lot of non-medical questions as well.
So while I will do my best to post what I know, please don’t take this as legal advice or make any decisions unless you have spoken with a qualified professional.
Questions
People want to know how medical marijuana use will affect their
- VA and Social Security benefits
- Child custody cases
- Current employment
VA and Social Security
The Veterans Affairs and Social Security offices have put out official statements that legal medical marijuana use will not generally cause you to lose your pensions or benefits under either program.
Child Custody
Unfortunately, because child custody is usually a state issue, and medical marijuana is a new treatment option in Louisiana, there have been few, if any cases, involving custodial parent’s use of medical marijuana.
However, I expect that as more parents start to use medical marijuana for treatment of chronic medical conditions, this may become a bigger issue in the future.
Employment
Louisiana is largely an at-will state. That means that employers can fire anyone at any time for any reason.
That includes firing employees who test positive for THC on a urine drug screen, even if the patient was participating in a legal medical marijuana program.
Many of my patients have found that their employers are accommodating to their employees. Others, especially companies with federal contracts or under federal regulations, are not.
Ultimately it seems like each employer will set their own rules in this regard.
Summary
So thanks for reading today’s article. This is Dr. Chou with the Medical Marijuana Clinic of Louisiana.
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