News » Nevada Board Investigates MMJ Use By Parolees





Nevada has allowed medical marijuana for chronic ailments for nearly a decade now, but a recent spike in the number of cards issued has state lawmakers and law enforcement agencies looking into the matter. The Board of Parole Commissioners this week had hearings regarding the use of medical marijuana by offenders currently serving probation sentences after being released on parole.

Normally a positive drug test would be grounds for revoking parole status, however patients with medical cards are exempted from this rule. According to Parole and Probation Lt. Tom Ely, the board isn’t trying to prevent offenders suffering from diseases such as HIV, cancer or diseases such as glaucoma from having access to the drug, “but most of them are only using that to get around the rules,” he said. “We’re just looking to deny those who are looking for an excuse to continue to get high.”

Ely claims that the issue is being raised over concerns of how drug use will affect rehabilitation. “How can we manage offenders who are using drugs?” he asked. “If they’re abusing drugs, there’s no way to manage their rehabilitation.”

According to state psychologists handling many of the parole cases there is a high likelihood that an offender will become a repeat offender when drugs enter the picture. “They’re more likely to fall into recidivism if they’re using a drug — especially a sex offender,” he said. “A sex offender is more likely to fall into recidivist activity if he’s using marijuana.”

While the law currently does not permit the parole board or officers to intercede when a parolee is using medical marijuana, they hope that the state legislature will soon make a change allowing them to. According to Ely, the board would like offenders to ask for permission before beginning the use of medical marijuana.

[source Nevada Appeal]

Tags: Board of Parole Commissioners, justice, legal, medical, Nevada, parole, Tom Ely