Dr. Stephen Harley's licence revoked for drug use

A Dartmouth doctor who admitted to drug use is now forbidden from practicing medicine.

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia has revoked Dr. Stephen Harley's licence, ruling he was unable to overcome a long drug addiction.

Harley admitted to professional misconduct after smoking marijuana last fall. Hewas under strict conditions not to use alcohol and drugs as part of a 2013 settlement agreement.

The province's College of Physicians and Surgeons says Harley was under conditionsat the time to protect the public.

He had previously been suspended several times and agreed that any future lapses or breaches would result in losing his licence.

Harley has been suspended multiple times in recent years. He previously admitted to writing fraudulent narcotics prescriptions for family and friends and using the drugs himself.

"While there is no evidence that Dr. Harley has gone back to using narcotics, his use of marijuana, despite agreeing not to do so, confirms our reservations about the efficacy," the hearing committee said in its June 15 decision.

"There are no more conditions or promises that can be exacted from Dr. Harley to assure the public that he will not use drugs which could impair his ability to provide medical services safely and competently," the hearing committee said in the decision.

Doctor can reapply in November 2016

Under a 2013 agreement, Harley was supposed to stay away from drugs andprovide hair samples for testing every six months. Just over a year later, he violated the agreement.

Harley admits to taking two to three puffs of marijuana last September, just days after he learned the urine tests he had to take weren't testing forTHC. He considered using a shampoo he thought would skew the results of a hair test, but ultimately chose not to use it.

At the end of October, he tested positive for marijuana following a hair test.

The decision is effective November 3, 2014 the day he admitted to breaching the previous settlement agreement.

"Although the members of the committee have considerable sympathy for Dr. Harley personally, the protection of the public must now take precedence over helping him in his struggle with addiction," the decision said.

Harley can apply for the reinstatement of his licence after November 2016.