09/27/2022     Leonard A. Levy, DPM, MPH

Avoidance of Alcohol and Cannabinoids by Health Professionals

An article by psychiatrist Steve Adelman "Avoid
'Shots in the Dark' to Maintain Pristine
Professional Boundaries" in Psychiatric Times
(September 20, 2022) espouses how drinking alcohol
in public may lead well-meaning licensed health
professionals “onto the slippery slope of boundary
violations and costly career jeopardy”. The
effects of alcohol are often in the mix when
health professionals are accused of behaving
unprofessionally. For this reason, Dr. Adelman
advises colleagues and clients to drink sparingly,
especially in public situations involving peers,
staff, or patients. He believes that health
professionals might be safer abstaining
altogether.

Psychoactive substances like cannabinoids with a
different profile than alcohol, are also
intoxicants that may jeopardize the professional
well-being of those who use it, Dr. Adelman
indicates. This is especially true in states where
using it is not legal. But even where cannabis use
is permissible, measurable levels may create
pricey complexity for health professionals who are
drug-tested for whatever reason. Until we possess
the ability to distinguish between substances like
cannabinoids that enter your system on a workday,
and the residue of a single cannabinoid gummy that
you ingest in the middle of your 2-week vacation,
avoiding cannabinoids may be another 'Better to
play it safe, rather than be sorry' best-practice
to consider and incorporate.

Alternatively, Dr. Adelman remarks, you can trust
state licensing boards to accept your version of
the events that bring you to their attention. But
if you end up hiring an attorney, remember that
the ones who know how to defend you after an
"operating under the influence" arrest are
generally not the same ones who know how to
represent you before the licensing board. So you
may have to hire two attorneys, or more if you are
licensed in multiple states. Because this has
brutalized the health professions, many of whom
have used or misused alcohol and/or cannabinoids
to mitigate the day-to-day stress and strain. At
the same time, the expectation to behave in a
completely and utterly professional fashion at all
times has never been greater resulting in these
words of caution by Dr. Adelman, a blunt attempt
to inspire you to watch your own back.

Leonard A. Levy, DPM, MPH, Fort Lauderdale, FL
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