Do YOU think marijuana use is wrong?

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Hey Dude, one nice thing is sort of the carryover effect, ya know like get enough of an edge and ya can sort of coast ya know just dontscratchyereyeball hurtslike crazy surgeryislikecool
 
fix said:
I have never seen a theological explanation but I have seen this from the last Pope:
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I think part of the problem is we are lumping all drugs together. The fact of the matter is that doing lines of coke differs from a person who smokes marijuana on occasion. I’ve known people who do just that (in areas where it is legal to do so) and their mental state is no more altered than a person who unwinds at the end of the day with a cocktail.

I suppose my main objection is in making blanket statements since a lot of this depends on A) The Drug being used B) The Effects of the Drug Being Used C) The Intent of the user

If altered state of mind, loss of individuality and time lapse are the only criteria we are going off of then gamers are facing a similar prohibition.
 
The person who started this post may have a point. I have never used marijuana in my entire life, but I think that the Federal Government has some really strange ideas about it. Marijuana has been approved by some states for medical use, especially for dying people to manage their pain. I think that this is a legimitate use, but the people who use it for this purpose get in trouble with the Federal Government. I know that my comment may be a bit off the subject, but after all, this is just another plant that God made. There has to be a middle ground somewhere between the two extremes. Of course, pregnant women shouldn’t be using it! These days, pregnant women I know won’t even drink coffee, have a glass of wine, or take an aspirin. We did all of these things back when I had my children, and my children turned out very healthy.
 
Here’s my take:

I used to smoke all the time, I love pot. It doesn’t make you sick like alcohol does and it’s not nearly as dangerous as alcohol and tobacco are.

However, that whole “when in Rome, do as the Romans do” thing is a big hurdle to get over and I finally realized that puffing was not cool w/ JC.

Is smoking pot inherently wrong? If drinking alcohol isn’t, then I don’t think pot is either. But the fact remains the pot is illegal and alcohol isn’t. Therefore, I must abstain.

However, if it were ever de-criminalized, I’d be all over it.👍
 
Hippie4Peace said:
I was using the search tool on this forum, and found numerous thread regarding how marijuana use (recreational) is wrong, and even a priest responded it is morally wrong because it is illegal.

My oh my. I pity those who condemn the use of marijuana. If it’s the illegal aspect of it that makes you see it as being wrong, consider this: Getting a prostitute in Las Vegas is legal, so it that right?

Besides, we all know Holland has very liberal drug laws, and the statistics actually show it has among the lowest crime rates in all of Europe. The Dutch have gotten it right…they distinguish cannabis from harder drugs…which means there are significantly less dealers on the streets looking to push the drug.

What really comes to mind is the health aspect. Everyone knows 0 deaths have been directly linked to Marijuana…while millions die each year of tobacco and alcohol, which are obviously legal…such a shame.

While smoking pot has limited harm, it’s no secret pure THC does wonders to the body…it widens the blood vessels (unlike tobacco, which constricts them), helps those of glaucoma, it’s even been found it helps with memory, since it stimulates neurotransmitters…which is why many people often find themselves remembering things that happened a while ago, almost with a photographic description…and of course, it gives people a feeling of complete ecstasy, a super feeling which heightens the senses…

which is what brings me to post here. Believe it or not, Marijuana is actually a spiritual ritual to me…I use it at night, think about life, pray…it’s an experience that I wouldn’t trade for the world…it’s very peaceful. I wish more fellow Catholics realized the truth about God’s magical plant, and that it wasn’t so wrongly viewed upon by corporate America.

God bless you all.
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Marijuana is illegal and you’d be hard pressed to convince the Church that breaking the law in this case is justified. So, on that point alone I think smoking pot is a sin. Secondly, smoking pot is horrible on the lungs, even worse than cigarettes in terms of damage inflicted. Granted, you wouldn’t probably be smoking as many marijuana cigs as regular cigarettes but it’s still bad for you health-wise. I believe that long-term and heavy use of pot is damaging neurologically (ex., memory loss, etc.) and it may contribute to sterility. It clearly impairs your judgement (ex., increased paranoia, distorted feelings and inhibitions, etc.) and I believe that there’s evidence that consistent use of pot will make it more likely that the person will experiment with harder drugs (correct me if I’m wrong on that last point). Finally, it makes you lazy and unmotivated and in general “deadens” you’re mood and alertness of things in between periods of high. Eventually, you need more and more of it to experience the same highs. I’d personally only advocate a narrow use for marijuana legally and that would be for people with severe glaucoma and those with certain late stage cancers…otherwise, we should keep it illegal!!
 
Riley259 said:
Marijuana is illegal and you’d be hard pressed to convince the Church that breaking the law in this case is justified. So, on that point alone I think smoking pot is a sin. Secondly, smoking pot is horrible on the lungs, even worse than cigarettes in terms of damage inflicted. Granted, you wouldn’t probably be smoking as many marijuana cigs as regular cigarettes but it’s still bad for you health-wise. I believe that long-term and heavy use of pot is damaging neurologically (ex., memory loss, etc.) and it may contribute to sterility. It clearly impairs your judgement (ex., increased paranoia, distorted feelings and inhibitions, etc.) and I believe that there’s evidence that consistent use of pot will make it more likely that the person will experiment with harder drugs (correct me if I’m wrong on that last point). Finally, it makes you lazy and unmotivated and in general “deadens” you’re mood and alertness of things in between periods of high. Eventually, you need more and more of it to experience the same highs. I’d personally only advocate a narrow use for marijuana legally and that would be for people with severe glaucoma and those with certain late stage cancers…otherwise, we should keep it illegal!!
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Because it is illegal? So, are you saying it’s not sinful for the Dutch? Besides, in America, we are certainly pro-war. I don’t think God approves of war. Not only are many people getting rich of our current war, but Holocaust is happening again, and we are all blind to this fact.

It is not as harmful on the lungs as tobacco, even if one smoked marijuana daily. The fact is, there are many other “devices” where one can use marijuana with extremely lower, or no lung damage at all. Vaporizers are a substancially healthier alternative to say, a joint. Brownies, best yet, create NO harm to the lungs.

Fact: Moderate smoking of marijuana appears to pose minimal danger to the lungs. Like tobacco smoke, marijuana smoke contains a number of irritants and carcinogens. But marijuana users typically smoke much less often than tobacco smokers, and over time, inhale much less smoke. As a result, the risk of serious lung damage should be lower in marijuana smokers. There have been no reports of lung cancer related solely to marijuana, and in a large study presented to the American Thoracic Society in 2006, even heavy users of smoked marijuana were found not to have any increased risk of lung cancer. Unlike heavy tobacco smokers, heavy marijuana smokers exhibit no obstruction of the lung’s small airway. That indicates that people will not develop emphysema from smoking marijuana.

Your other statements are false. Fact: For twenty-five years, researchers have searched for a marijuana-induced amotivational syndrome and have failed to find it. People who are intoxicated constantly, regardless of the drug, are unlikely to be productive members of society. There is nothing about marijuana specifically that causes people to lose their drive and ambition. In laboratory studies, subjects given high doses of marijuana for several days or even several weeks exhibit no decrease in work motivation or productivity. Among working adults, marijuana users tend to earn higher wages than non-users. College students who use marijuana have the same grades as nonusers. Among high school students, heavy use is associated with school failure, but school failure usually comes first.

Fact: Marijuana does not cause people to use hard drugs. What the gateway theory presents as a causal explanation is a statistic association between common and uncommon drugs, an association that changes over time as different drugs increase and decrease in prevalence. Marijuana is the most popular illegal drug in the United States today. Therefore, people who have used less popular drugs such as heroin, cocaine, and LSD, are likely to have also used marijuana. Most marijuana users never use any other illegal drug. Indeed, for the large majority of people, marijuana is a terminus rather than a gateway drug.
 
The Church is pretty vague about drugs. There is a paragraph in the Catechism and some comments by JP2 that I’ve seen, but those all lump drugs into one group, and don’t deal with any of them specifically.

CCC said:
2291 The use of drugs inflicts very grave damage on human health and life. Their use, except on strictly therapeutic grounds, is a grave offense. Clandestine production of and trafficking in drugs are scandalous practices. They constitute direct co-operation in evil, since they encourage people to practices gravely contrary to the moral law.
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It seems pretty clear to me that this refers to

  1. *]the health effects of *hard *drugs; and
    *]the illegality of drugs
    In places where Marijuana is legal, like Holland, I would approach it like alcohol, from what I know. But what do I know? I’ve used pot, but when I used it, it was always to get ‘high.’ Is getting high the same as getting ‘buzzed’? If it is, then I think that wouldn’t be sinful, since that’s considered in moderation, right?

    There is some room for doctrinal development on this moral issue, I think.

    I would even argue that moderate use of other ‘natural’ drugs like cocaine–if and where it were legal (is it legal anywhere?)–would be okay, too. Like what’s wrong with a little cocaine in my cola? Or a teaspoon of coca in my red wine? After all, Popes St. Pius X and Leo XIII drank coca-wine. Ol’ Leo had a handy hip-flask of the stuff, and endorsed it in advertisements!

    What about opiates? Are they possible to use in moderation? Would the addictive qualities of these kinds of drugs make them immoral (alcohol is considered very addictive)?

    You shouldn’t get so ticked off from differing opinions here, though. Very unhippyish.

    Pax
 
Hippie4Peace said:
Because it is illegal? So, are you saying it’s not sinful for the Dutch? Besides, in America, we are certainly pro-war. I don’t think God approves of war. Not only are many people getting rich of our current war, but Holocaust is happening again, and we are all blind to this fact.

It is not as harmful on the lungs as tobacco, even if one smoked marijuana daily. The fact is, there are many other “devices” where one can use marijuana with extremely lower, or no lung damage at all. Vaporizers are a substancially healthier alternative to say, a joint. Brownies, best yet, create NO harm to the lungs.

Fact: Moderate smoking of marijuana appears to pose minimal danger to the lungs. Like tobacco smoke, marijuana smoke contains a number of irritants and carcinogens. But marijuana users typically smoke much less often than tobacco smokers, and over time, inhale much less smoke. As a result, the risk of serious lung damage should be lower in marijuana smokers. There have been no reports of lung cancer related solely to marijuana, and in a large study presented to the American Thoracic Society in 2006, even heavy users of smoked marijuana were found not to have any increased risk of lung cancer. Unlike heavy tobacco smokers, heavy marijuana smokers exhibit no obstruction of the lung’s small airway. That indicates that people will not develop emphysema from smoking marijuana.

Your other statements are false. Fact: For twenty-five years, researchers have searched for a marijuana-induced amotivational syndrome and have failed to find it. People who are intoxicated constantly, regardless of the drug, are unlikely to be productive members of society. There is nothing about marijuana specifically that causes people to lose their drive and ambition. In laboratory studies, subjects given high doses of marijuana for several days or even several weeks exhibit no decrease in work motivation or productivity. Among working adults, marijuana users tend to earn higher wages than non-users. College students who use marijuana have the same grades as nonusers. Among high school students, heavy use is associated with school failure, but school failure usually comes first.

Fact: Marijuana does not cause people to use hard drugs. What the gateway theory presents as a causal explanation is a statistic association between common and uncommon drugs, an association that changes over time as different drugs increase and decrease in prevalence. Marijuana is the most popular illegal drug in the United States today. Therefore, people who have used less popular drugs such as heroin, cocaine, and LSD, are likely to have also used marijuana. Most marijuana users never use any other illegal drug. Indeed, for the large majority of people, marijuana is a terminus rather than a gateway drug.
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I smoked some pot when I was young and although it initially was a fascinating experience, it gradually lost it’s appeal. In short, I grew up and matured. It’s my personal opinion, but I don’t think that long term, consistent use of pot can be equated with a mature, productive and healthy life-style. To me, there’s a difference between getting high and having a drink socially. Getting high (even a couple of tokes) was equivilent to getting drunk not drinking socially - it altered my perceptions right away. It’s escaping into a fantasy state that isn’t commensurate with a productive and ethical lifestyle. Go ahead and keep smoking if you want - I just don’t think it’s consistent with Catholic ethics. Just my two cents, though.
 
I read about a study that found that pot was worse for you than LSD. 0.0 I, personally, want to remain in control of myself. If something affects my mental state that much, I don’t want to use it. I like my brain intact, thanks. I’ve met pot-smokers; they’re a few bricks short of a load. There are soooo many better ways to deal with stress, you shouldn’t need to smoke pot.

Just my two cents; I don’t plan to get into the debate.
 
If it destroys your ability to reson yes if not then its no worse than smoking a cigar.
 
I will freely admit to having purchased some and brewing tea for my mother as she was dying from cancer. We were trying to make her hungry so she’d eat (through a g tube)…it mellowed her and allowed her to rest. For that, I will always be grateful.

American Indians have used several types of plants to achieve a closer sense of their Gods. Is there a history of using drugs to achieve a higher degree of consciousness? Yes.

I am under no illusions that it’s ok with my God. I would much rather be around a stoner than a drinker…drunks are obnoxious. But, it’s not right with my church.

That makes it wrong.
 
Bennie_P said:
Where does this fact come from? “High Times?”:coffeeread:
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I know a great many people who used or still use marijuana. From High School and even some with whom I had served in the military. Not one of them ever moved onto another drug.

On the other hand, when I worked with the Navy Police in Sicily, the people we arrested for cocaine, heroine or ecstasy use admitted having only used marijuana “less than 5 times” or never.
 
I think the gospels tell us that Yeshua whipped up a batch of pretty good wine for the party after they had gone through the first stock. It doesn’t sound like he had a problem with addictive substances that kill brain cells .
 
My question is this: Was cannabis part of God’s original creation, or part of the curse? 🤷

Gen. 3:17-18: To the man he said: "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat, "Cursed be the ground because of you! In toil shall you eat its yield all the days of your life.
18 Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to you, as you eat of the plants of the field.
 
GreenJeans said:
I think the gospels tell us that Yeshua whipped up a batch of pretty good wine for the party after they had gone through the first stock. It doesn’t sound like he had a problem with addictive substances that kill brain cells .
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Precisely how much wine must one drink in order to become as intoxicated as one will be after a nice, deep drag from a joint?

My point is that wine – and alcohol in general – is not merely meant for intoxication, whereas there is little reason to smoke pot but to get intoxicated.

Surely, it’s not for the smell… :ehh:

Peace,
Dante
 
DanteAlighieri said:
Precisely how much wine must one drink in order to become as intoxicated as one will be after a nice, deep drag from a joint?

My point is that wine – and alcohol in general – is not merely meant for intoxication, whereas there is little reason to smoke pot but to get intoxicated.

Surely, it’s not for the smell… :ehh:

Peace,
Dante
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I don’t have the ratios. I suppose it depends on whether someone is drinking Two Buck Chuck or smoking Maui Wowie. Many smoke for relaxation, just like many drink wine for the same. The amount ingested defines the outcome. Relaxation does not imply intoxication.

Any biochemists here? I think any amount of alcohol kills brain cells, but marijuana does not. That’s what I have read, but I have no expertise in biochem, so maybe someone is better informed?

In any case, it’s hard to get around the idea that Yeshua endorsed the use of a mind altering recreational drug. He didn’t just have a drink, he rescued the party.
 
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