Drug Consumption and the Fire Department. (Please read throughly)

[ASolaberrieta]

I am a 19 year old college student. I decided I wanted to be a firefighter during my senior year in high school. I signed up for the local Volunteer Fire Department during my last semester of my senior year in high school. After high school I signed up at my local community college, and took 3 Fire Technology courses. After my first year of college, I had doubts about becoming a firefighter and changed majors to Business Administration. That decision was also fueled by an unpleasant experience with the Volunteer Program, they basically had me standing around for entire year and a half.

But my question is related to my marijuana use. During my late high school years and more recently during my college years. I first tried marijuana during my junior year in high school (before I decide to become a Firefighter), then again 3 or 4 more times during my senior year. After that I stopped while enrolled in the Fire Tech courses. After my change in majors, I got in touch with a person that was medically consuming marijuana and that sparked my interest again in marijuana. I decided to get my own medical marijuana card. From the point I obtained my medical marijuana card I consumed marijuana for 21 days straight, until I got caught by my parents. I only then realized how much damage marijuana was doing to my life specially my family, which is the main reason I completely stopped consuming marijuana. After very long talks with my parents and a lot of thinking on my part I feel very ashamed and embarrassed by my actions. Im now in the process of turning around my life and doing better for my self and I want to finish my Fire Technology degree, and become a firefighter like I had originally planned.

Finally, my question is after the many times I have consumed marijuana, do I still have any chance of getting hired by the fire department (preferably LAFD)? Also, does anybody have any suggestion on how I can show the Fire Department that I really learned my lesson and will not consume marijuana anymore?

[nmfire]

Don't smoke anymore. Most places have a small number of years you have to be "clean" before they'll hire you (3-5yrs?). You need to ask the specific departments what their requirements are because there is no standard. It's unlikely the question will be how much and how often. It will just be "have you" and if so how long ago.

And finally, remember there will always be 5 othe people with equal qualifications that didn't smoke at all which puts you behind them in the pile of applications.

[JTFIRE80]

Weed use aside, if you want to put your degree to work, I would stick with the Business Administration. It will get you a lot further in your career as a firefighter then a Fire Technology degree.

[TVFR9923]

I am a 19 year old college student. I decided I wanted to be a firefighter during my senior year in high school. I signed up for the local Volunteer Fire Department during my last semester of my senior year in high school. After high school I signed up at my local community college, and took 3 Fire Technology courses. After my first year of college, I had doubts about becoming a firefighter and changed majors to Business Administration. That decision was also fueled by an unpleasant experience with the Volunteer Program, they basically had me standing around for entire year and a half.

But my question is related to my marijuana use. During my late high school years and more recently during my college years. I first tried marijuana during my junior year in high school (before I decide to become a Firefighter), then again 3 or 4 more times during my senior year. After that I stopped while enrolled in the Fire Tech courses. After my change in majors, I got in touch with a person that was medically consuming marijuana and that sparked my interest again in marijuana. I decided to get my own medical marijuana card. From the point I obtained my medical marijuana card I consumed marijuana for 21 days straight, until I got caught by my parents. I only then realized how much damage marijuana was doing to my life specially my family, which is the main reason I completely stopped consuming marijuana. After very long talks with my parents and a lot of thinking on my part I feel very ashamed and embarrassed by my actions. Im now in the process of turning around my life and doing better for my self and I want to finish my Fire Technology degree, and become a firefighter like I had originally planned.

Finally, my question is after the many times I have consumed marijuana, do I still have any chance of getting hired by the fire department (preferably LAFD)? Also, does anybody have any suggestion on how I can show the Fire Department that I really learned my lesson and will not consume marijuana anymore?

OK, I think I read this throughly and I didn't see what your medical condition was/is that made you qualify for a medical marijauna card. You didn't lie on your application, did you?

If your are disabled enough to get a crad, then you may be too disabled to be a firefighter.

[ASolaberrieta]

Don't smoke anymore. Most places have a small number of years you have to be "clean" before they'll hire you (3-5yrs?). You need to ask the specific departments what their requirements are because there is no standard. It's unlikely the question will be how much and how often. It will just be "have you" and if so how long ago.

And finally, remember there will always be 5 othe people with equal qualifications that didn't smoke at all which puts you behind them in the pile of applications.

Ok. Thank You, I understand that what I did will put me behind other people. But I wanna be honest about it all up front, and not have the department find out by themselves, you know what I mean?

[ASolaberrieta]

Weed use aside, if you want to put your degree to work, I would stick with the Business Administration. It will get you a lot further in your career as a firefighter then a Fire Technology degree.

Well I want to get my Fire Tech degree because Business Administration is just not my thing. But Ill definetly keep what you said in mind. Thank You.

[ASolaberrieta]

OK, I think I read this throughly and I didn't see what your medical condition was/is that made you qualify for a medical marijauna card. You didn't lie on your application, did you?

If your are disabled enough to get a crad, then you may be too disabled to be a firefighter.

Well I got medicated for back pain, which is not something that can keep me from doing my job. I live in California so getting a medical card is like getting an ice cream cone at the local ice cream shop, in other words anyone can get one.

Also I have not applied for any particular fire department yet.

[peterbound]

hmmm, it'd be interesting to hear from some of the guys that are actually from Cali, Colorado, or AZ (states that have made MJ legal for medical use) as to how their departments are handling the hiring process. How is this any different than being prescribed flexeril for back pain?
If the guy can produce a genuine certificate saying he's cleared to work, but suffered from back pain and was prescribed MJ for it, what's the issue?

I do have to ask though, how the heck does a 19 year old BS student hurt his back? Doing keg stands?

[jmal]

Im not buying it. I think you got your card so you can smoke all the time without worrying about the cops on your tail; just like every kid out here in cali wants. You can pay $200 and get your card for "back pain" from a doc.

From the point I obtained my medical marijuana card I consumed marijuana for 21 days straight, until I got caught by my parents.

If you "hurt your back" then wouldn't your parents know?


The departments here are just as strict when it come to drug testing.

[TVFR9923]

Im not buying it. I think you got your card so you can smoke all the time without worrying about the cops on your tail; just like every kid out here in cali wants. You can pay $200 and get your card for "back pain" from a doc.
If you "hurt your back" then wouldn't your parents know?


The departments here are just as strict when it come to drug testing.

My thoughts exactly. If you got high for 21 days straight for "back pain", I hope you live close to a 7-11 or Burger King.

[nomex82]

Or better yet an In-N-Out Burger

[Nozzle nut 22]

The other question here: were you actually busted by leo's for this, or just found out by the 'rents? If the latter, then there is no actual record of you having smoked, or done anything wrong or illegal. Seriously, smoking a bit of herb is FAR from the worst thing you could have done. You put it behind you and moved on, so stop beating yourself up about it.

If you have not smoked in a couple of months , and are pee tested, you will come up negative. So what's the problem?? If, for some reason, the issue does come up ( if your med permit is discovered during a background check, for instance), you have a clean record test wise to back you up.

Frankly, you aren't visiting a church confessional. WHY shoot yourself, and your career in the foot by volunteering that info??

[FireRescueLupo]

If he got prescribed a medical use card, then I am sure that would come up in a medical exam or background check, and I am sure one of the questions on the application or somewhere in the line of questions would be have you ever used drugs. I suppose if it is have you ever used illegal drugs then you could always say no since they are legal, but I would not recommend lying about it anywhere or at anytime. Just be honest about having been prescribed a medical use card for back pain and used it for a while but have been clean. That is probably easier to forgive then hey I lied on my questioning or application.

[FWDbuff]

I'm throwing down the bullschit flag on this kid.

If your back hurts you THAT much that you need medical weed, then what makes you think you can be a firefighter, much less pass the entry physical?

Also, the other impurities in your story (and I think it's precisely that, a story) lead me to believe that you obtained your "medical weed" card with the thought of consuming weed under recreational purposes, under the false pretense of "medical purposes."

If this is the case, that makes you a druggie. And there is no room in the Fire Service for druggies. For every druggie that applies, there are 30 other applicants that are drug-free with clean criminal histories. They are the ones that will get the job over you, and rightfully so.

Perhaps you are better suited securing a career at a surf board shop, or perhaps a skate board store....Or maybe McDonalds?

[mt5016]

give me a break, the kid is 19 which means he was 16-18 smoking weed probably more than what hes actually saying but you guys are acting like this job is for priests. i mean like the one guy said this is not a church confessional. Your going to tell me 1/2 on here and if not more of actual fireman out there didnt smoke a little weed in their younger days. kid your 19 and have a long career in front of you. i would not go in there confessing to anything. just quit the dope and get your degree. it does not matter in what but i would recommend switching to paramedic. And if your medical card does come up just tell them you suffered an injury and were prescribed it by a doctor, but you no longer use and you have not for years. people are going to judge you but the only thing you can do is ignore the haters and strive to be a better person, and a little dope in your past does not make you a druggie my friend. good luck in the future.