Just posted on KevinMD. The piece is here. Some state PHPs are advocating a zero tolerance policy for any positive marijuana test and also often have a de facto zero tolerance policy for any positive test for metabolites of alcohol. That means that even if physicians have never used marijuana or alcohol before going to work and have never even remotely practiced medicine under the influence, physicians might be accused of having a substance use disorder and forced into expensive evaluations and rehab (which often have financial ties to state PHPs) or else run the risk of losing their ability to practice medicine.
Since the national federation of PHPs has not taken action to sever the financial ties between PHPs and their “vetted eval/treatment centers” and eliminate conflicts of interest, all physicians ought to begin to pressure their state medical boards societies and the AMA to effect change.