Opioids Methadone Clinic Wont Let Me Use MMJ

Can they legally do this to a card holder in a medical marijuana state (colorado)? It doesn't seem like they should be able to. They claim that the only way they would allow me to use my MMJ is if I were a cancer patient. What gives them the right to draw a line between which state authorized MMJ users can or can't use their meds while on methadone?! I suffer from back pain and insomnia. Due to me being on methadone and them not allowing me to use my ambien anymore, or even OTC sleeping pills what the hell else can I use?

This seems like a violation of the rights as a patient provided to me by the state.

What do you think?

I think it is a grey area, and since the methadone clinic is for drug addicts they prefer to have you off of all other drugs. This most likely increases your chance at having a full recovery as well. I would assume that this is the policy of the clinic and that they have this rule because they assume that being an addict you will abuse the marijuana and possibly sell your methadone, use other drugs on top of methadone, and all those other fucked up stereotypes that go along with being a drug addict. Your best bet would probably be to talk to someone in charge at the clinic about your situation, and maybe get your doctor to contact the clinic.

Hope my advice helps you out some, Happy Toking!

BTW, I'm on Bupe Maintenance and my doc doesn't have a problem with marijuana...he calls is "harm reduction"

MMJ is a treatment that can be recommended by your doctor. That is not the same thing as getting a prescription, as it is merely a referral.

This is one of the reasons why an employer may deny employment to an applicant that tests positive for marijuana, reguardless of having a MMJ card. In the same sense, it is why some doctors treating patients with ORT may refuse to treat them if they test positive for marijuana.

^ There isn't a prescription involved in medical marijuana states? It's just purely through referral?

keystonelight: That doesn't sound fair, and maybe you should talk to the doctor who referred/prescribed you medical marijuana in the first place.

Are methadone programs funded by the federal or state government?

i feel for you,i am on suboxone,over 2 yrs now,and i can't sleep more than 4 hrs,but no way can i take any kind of sleep aid,according to my doctor,maybe being on methadone maint. they feel pot will make you high

Mr Blonde said:

^ There isn't a prescription involved in medical marijuana states? It's just purely through referral?

keystonelight: That doesn't sound fair, and maybe you should talk to the doctor who referred/prescribed you medical marijuana in the first place.

Are methadone programs funded by the federal or state government?

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Some pills with cannabinoids can be prescribed, I think marinol is the name of it. That is RX, as opposed to a referral to MMJ dispensary.

I am not sure of the funding for the methadone clinics. Their requirements vary though. Some allow people to have certain prescriptions to other drugs, and others do not.

^ Right, OK... forgive my curiosity, I'm just curious as to how it works over there in the States. Here we only have one dispensary that isn't very publicized, but as to prescriptions for other medications it is usually up to the prescribing doctors discretion and the clinics don't have a say in it as far as I'm aware.

The doctor who is prescribing can put whatever restrictions he damn well pleases on to the obtaining of your methadone. Just like with any other prescription. If you don't like it go to another clinic.

euphoricnod said:

The doctor who is prescribing can put whatever restrictions he damn well pleases on to the obtaining of your methadone. Just like with any other prescription. If you don't like it go to another clinic.

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Yeah exactly. At my clinic, you aren't allowed to take benzos, no ifs ands or buts. Even if you have a prescription it is not allowed and counts as a positive drug test.

Clinics are private businesses and if you don't abide their rules they can refuse you service.

tl;dr - yes they can not let you smoke weed.

Tommyboy723 said:

MMJ is a treatment that can be recommended by your doctor. That is not the same thing as getting a prescription, as it is merely a referral.

This is one of the reasons why an employer may deny employment to an applicant that tests positive for marijuana, reguardless of having a MMJ card. In the same sense, it is why some doctors treating patients with ORT may refuse to treat them if they test positive for marijuana.

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It doesn't matter if its Rx or not because they have every right (and often do) deny patients who have legitimate prescriptions of other controlled substances - as was mentioned, especially benzodiazepines.

This doesn't just go for methadone; if someone with chronic pain is seeing both a PM specialist and a neurologist where the former is prescribing narcotics, he could refuse to prescribe if the patient is prescribed say benzos from the latter.

I've signed contracts demonstrating that I understand these terms in the past. Since euphoricnod, villian and brokedown seem to have sufficiently covered this, I'm going to shut it down. If anyone has a reason to reopen it, feel free to PM me.