MARIJUANA AND STIMULANT USE POLICY.
- If you are receiving a stimulant for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), we do not allow more than minimal marijuana use.
A. Minimal marijuana use is defined by using marijuana in any form ≤ 1 per week. Frequent use is defined by using marijuana in any form multiple times (≥2) per week.
B. Decreased concentration is a well-known side effect of frequent marijuana use. If you use marijuana frequently, it is impossible to tell if your decreased concentration is from marijuana or ADHD.
Stimulant medications are highly controlled substances and only approved for the treatment of ADHD. Therefore, we will not prescribe a stimulant if there is a chance of decreased concentration from marijuana use and not from ADHD.
- A negative urine drug screen (UDS) is required before starting stimulant treatment
- UDS will be required periodically and randomly during stimulant treatment. Your treatment provider will also periodically conduct substance use assessments with you.
A. If a UDS is requested, you have 7-10 days to complete it from the time you are informed via patient portal message system. If the message is left unread or if you do not have a patient portal account, you will be informed via telephone. If you are unable to answer the call, we will leave a voicemail. It is your responsibility to check voicemails in a timely manner. If your mail box is full and multiple attempts are made to contact you, your treatment provider may hold stimulant treatment.
B. You have 7-10 days to complete it once informed.
B.1 We recommend you wait at least 5-7 days after your last use before you obtain the UDS.
If you complete it after 10 days from when you were informed, it will be considered a red flag and will be taken into consideration as part of your substance use disorder assessment.
If you refuse to obtain a UDS, your clinician can stop stimulant treatment at any time.
C. If the UDS result is positive for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) (a substance found in marijuana), you will have 7-10 days to repeat the UDS.
i. ii. If the repeat UDS is negative and/or your clinician does not suspect a substance use disorder, you will likely resume treatment as usual but it is at the discretion of your treatment provider.If the repeat UDS is positive and/or a substance use disorder is suspected, your clinician can pause or end stimulant treatment at any time.