This Firefighter is Fired Up After Getting Fired for Medical Cannabis

A fired-up firefighter was fired for firing up cannabis and has filed a lawsuit to stoke the flames for restoring his job with the Buffalo Fire Department. This is a story that should never be. This shows the ignorance of the elected representatives of our nation and how horribly they treat not only the people in our country but those who serve our country as well. It is an absolute absurdity, in my opinion, that Scott Martin ever had to make the news over being fired for testing positive for cannabis use.

How a Firefighter Got Fired for Choosing Medical Cannabis 

Scott Martin has been with the Buffalo Fire Department for 12 years. He previously served the United States Air Force in Afghanistan and Iraq and is a licensed medical cannabis patient who utilizes cannabis to treat chronic back pain and PTSD. Simply because he utilizes medical cannabis rather than taking dangerous and deadly prescription pharmaceutical drugs, he has lost his job at the Buffalo Fire Department.

On December 15th, 2020 Martin was required to take a random drug test in which he admitted he would not pass, stating he was a licensed medical cannabis patient. One week later, this 12-year Buffalo Fire Department veteran was suspended without pay and persuaded to look into substance abuse treatment. He tested positive for THC again on February 5th and was then terminated from his job.

Cannabis is legal in the state of New York now. Anywhere you can smoke a cigarette, you can smoke cannabis. This man put his life on the line in order to help preserve the freedoms that Americans enjoy. He served our country in the United States Air Force. He goes on to help protect others by being a dedicated veteran firefighter. This man will run into a burning building to save you. Because of outdated laws that supported a heinous viewpoint based on a foundation of lies, he was fired. Medical cannabis has been legal throughout New York since the Compassionate Care Act passed in 2014.

Despite Popular Belief Medicating Doesn’t Equal Always Being High

People who don’t know any better like to point out that he is a firefighter, and we don’t need them stoned or high at work when they’re supposed to be fighting fires and saving lives. That point of view shows that people know very little about cannabis. Cannabis can be consumed at night before bed, as is the case with Martin, and a person can wake up not feeling the slightest bit of a buzz. A few hits from a vape pen can provide instant relief versus taking a sedative like Xanax that can be very dangerous. It seems people are okay if a doctor prescribes your medicine and you pop a pill. These pills come with all sorts of consequences and side effects that cause people to be high at work all the time. For far too long, doctors in our country have been nothing more than drug dealers wearing lab coats, who push prescriptions on insurance holders, so they can receive giant kickbacks from pharmaceutical companies, who seem to own our country.

Martin utilizes cannabis in the form of capsules and a vape pen. He was quoted telling the Buffalo News, ” People think you do it all the time. You don’t. I do it before I go to bed. It metabolizes, and then I’m not high from it. I don’t need to be high when I’m at work. I’m focused when I’m at work.” Martin will be the first to tell anyone that medical cannabis works much better than opioids and doesn’t mind also expressing the fact that it is saving taxpayers money because it isn’t even covered by insurance.

Workplace Discrimination – Lawyered Up

Martin has lawyered up with a New York City-based attorney by the name of David C Holland, who is very fluent in laws pertaining to medical cannabis in the state of New York. Martin’s lawyer says,

“He’s been terminated wrongfully because the collective bargaining agreement hasn’t been updated. They are 7 years behind.”

Martin’s attorney David Holland is arguing the firing of his client as workplace discrimination. According to Mr. Holland, under the compassionate Care Act, the conditions being treated with medical cannabis fall under the category of disabilities which would make the firing of Scott Martin workplace discrimination.

This should be a no-brainer. The fact that dedicated individuals such as Scott Martin are fired, ridiculed, and made to go through such measures because of licensed medical cannabis consumption is absolutely ridiculous. The federal government doesn’t mind showing up to cannabis businesses collecting taxes in cash each year. I am personally thrilled that he will be fighting back and hopefully this case can lay a foundation to change regarding employment laws and medical cannabis in the state.