Doctors drink. Nurses take Xanax. But cannabis users lose their licenses. Where’s the justice?

Sign now to demand fairness for licensed professionals punished under outdated cannabis laws.

Licensed professionals across Missouri — nurses, physicians, therapists, and countless others — are being punished for using a legal substance: cannabis. I’m one of them. I’m a registered nurse with PTSD and anxiety who turned to medical marijuana, legally prescribed, as a safer alternative to addictive medications. Despite being fit for work and never impaired on duty, I was fired and placed under humiliating state monitoring. Every day, I’m forced to call in for random drug testing — all because of a lawful choice made off-duty and off-site. Meanwhile, other professionals can legally consume alcohol or take impairing prescription medications without the same stigma or punishment.

This isn’t just about one career. It’s about fairness, science, and civil rights. The Missouri State Board of Nursing — and many other licensing boards — are operating on outdated, fear-based policies that equate cannabis use with impairment. Research clearly shows that THC in the body does not mean someone is impaired. These biased rules destroy reputations, end careers, and deter professionals from seeking help for legitimate medical conditions. Missouri risks losing good, ethical, hard-working professionals simply because they chose a legal, less harmful option than alcohol or opioids.

Cannabis is legal in Missouri. Our laws have evolved — our professional standards must too. This is the moment to end the hypocrisy and modernize policy for all licensed workers. We need state boards and lawmakers to adopt evidence-based standards that focus on impairment, not presence. It’s time to stop destroying lives and careers over stigma. Change starts here — with one signature, one voice, and one state that’s ready to lead with truth and fairness.