Just *why* is marijuana use wrong?

[Apryl]

Talking with someone today and the topic of teaching right/wrong to teens came up.

When talking with youth, how do you explain that the use of marijuana is wrong?

We have (in many states) medicinal marijuana. That’s fine. We’re not arguing the validity of that. What is a problem is explaining why recreational use of marijuana is wrong.

When did people first smoke? I mean, really… I’ve never seen them smoking in any of the biblical movies… and there has been smoking since the United States was just colonies… where in the middle did the use of smoking begin?

We have priests and bishops who do smoke cigarettes… so how do we say ‘smoking is wrong’ when you have a cleric who does the same?

But what about the use of something like marijuana… which is illegal? Ok, we have that it’s illegal… and that should be enough… but WHY is it illegal (remember: we’re trying to explain to teens)

Would that tie into the commandments that speak of ‘Killing’? The use of marijuana can be read as hurting oneself, so that could tie in, right?

But how can we, as adults in the church, teach the ills of marijuana from a historical or biblical perspective.

 

[Cristiano]

This is news from yesterday where a driver killed 7 people because he was impaired by cannabis.

translate.google.com/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=auto&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.corriere.it%2Fcronache%2F10_dicembre_05%2Fauto-incidente-ciclisti_be1251ca-005e-11e0-861f-00144f02aabc.shtml

 

[Reservoir_Dog]

This is news from yesterday where a driver killed 7 people because he was impaired by cannabis…

Except it doesn’t mention cannabis.

The car, driven by a Moroccan, has disbanded for reasons yet to be ascertained. …Mercedes has a crush on - for reasons yet to be ascertained, since the weather was excellent …

 

[Apryl]

This is news from yesterday where a driver killed 7 people because he was impaired by cannabis.

Thank you.

I’m already convinced that marijuana use is terrible (without following the link).

I see marijuana as a ‘gate-way drug’ to more harmful drugs. Even if a person ONLY uses marijuana, it’s a bad thing. It saps a person of the willingness to do more, it’s dangerous on many levels that I can’t even describe.

The problem is: for many of the teens, you say to them, ‘you shouldn’t smoke marijuana’, the response is ‘and why not? People do that same thing when you have alcohol, and people drink alcohol all the time. It’s only a problem when they drink TOO MUCH, and I don’t plan to smoke too much marijuana’

 

[NE_Catholic]

Except it doesn’t mention cannabis.

except
voanews.com/english/news/Eight-Cyclists-Dead-After-Collision-in-Italy-----111347124.html

“The driver of the car, a Moroccan national, was arrested. Police are quoted as saying he tested positive for marijuana.”

 

[Cristiano]

Thank you.

I’m already convinced that marijuana use is terrible (without following the link).

I see marijuana as a ‘gate-way drug’ to more harmful drugs. Even if a person ONLY uses marijuana, it’s a bad thing. It saps a person of the willingness to do more, it’s dangerous on many levels that I can’t even describe.

The problem is: for many of the teens, you say to them, ‘you shouldn’t smoke marijuana’, the response is ‘and why not? People do that same thing when you have alcohol, and people drink alcohol all the time. It’s only a problem when they drink TOO MUCH, and I don’t plan to smoke too much marijuana’

I think that there is a big difference between smoking marijuana and drinking alcoholic beverages. The only intent of smoking is to get high, while in the case of alcoholic beverages that it is not true. However, people that drink to get drunk find themselves in a illegal position (e.g. public intoxication, DWI, etc.) and that is almost the equivalent of making alcohol illegal.

I like to drink wine and good liquors; however, I do not like to get a buzz. That is reflected by the fact that I rather spend more money on small amounts of high quality beverages then buying cheap booze. I will just drink less and enjoy more what I drink.

 

[Reservoir_Dog]

except
voanews.com/english/news/Eight-Cyclists-Dead-After-Collision-in-Italy-----111347124.html

“The driver of the car, a Moroccan national, was arrested. Police are quoted as saying he tested positive for marijuana.”

I followed the link from the OP. The VoA story looks like a rewrite. but the translation is insanely garbled, so who knows…

In addition, testing that the foreigner has been submitted after admission to hospital, it was found that at the time of the accident was under the influence of drugs.

 

[stringbeanduck]

First I’ll say I strongly believe the recreational use of marijuana is not wrong. That is if it is done in a conscientious manner. But I’ll give some advice, because I believe kids should stay away from it.

Teens, pretty much lack the ability of moderating themselves towards anything. Additionally their bodies are still developing so the idea of introducing any drug, even alcohol and tobacco is not good since it can have an effect on on their physical and mental development. That would be a good talking point.

Smoking in general is unhealthy for pretty trivial reasons. I would mention that. Course with marijuana you could bypass this by eating or vaping it. However I wouldn’t mention that to them.

As far as when did people first smoke tobacco. Tobacco got its first light of fame when Jean Nicot sent some tobacco to the king of France in the 16th century. Soon after that tobacco became well known over the rest of Europe. Before that the Native Americans used for many uses. Many of them medical. Ironic ey?

First don’t lie to them and say smoking(tobacco) is wrong. The church teaches tobacco should be using in moderation. But, since they are teens, you need to point out that tobacco use at that age is wrong because introducing any drug at that age can harm their development.

I think a really good point to make would be that by purchasing marijuana there is chance it came from violent organizations such as Mexican drug cartels. In other words you are supporting an illict organization that murders people and damages society. Blood is on your hands. Granted, those who want decent weed know they can get from non-violent means such as friends who grow it or medical marijuana. But since this is teens you don’t want to mention it to teens.

Marijuana, at least the kind that comes from gangs and cartels, can have things added to it, pesticides, other chemicals, mold. Since it’s an illegal you could point out that those who sell it are not looking out for your health and you could be getting something far worse.

You also have 2291 of the CCC, I believe it’s missed interpreted that way, but it’ll suffice to average intelligence of most teen.

 

[Cristiano]

I followed the link from the OP. The VoA story looks like a rewrite. but the translation is insanely garbled, so who knows…

I just used the Google translation tool. If can you access the Italian news media directly you will see that the driver was tested for cannabis.

BTW He was driving with an 8 year old relative in the car.

 

[Reservoir_Dog]

I just used the Google translation tool. If can you access the Italian news media directly you will see that the driver was tested for cannabis.

BTW He was driving with an 8 year old relative in the car.

Its a tragedy, to be sure, but one incident. It has scare value as the lead entry in the parade of horribles about reefer madness, but its not a persuasive argument except to point out the obvious that no one should drive intoxicated.

Guess why this is considered a cultural joke.

 

[Rascalking]

For what little it is worth, remind them that pot is the gateway drug. I speak from personal experience. No, not all people who smoke pot become harder addicts, but many addicts-myself included and many friends of mine who are also addicts-started with smoking pot, and when that did nothing for us, switched to harder and harder stuff.

In theory, smoking a little pot seems harmless-and for some people, it probably is-but you never know if your the type of person who will move on to harder drugs.

Aside from that, substance abuse leads to making stupid choices. Hooking up, driving, doing other really foolish things .

Just my two cents.

 

[Steel_Pinwheel]

The reason why using marijuana is wrong because it’s illegal. That should be sufficient reason for a teenager not to use marijuana.

As for why marijuana is illegal, primarily because using drugs for recreation is seen as a sin.

Studies show that marijuana doesn’t significantly affect driving. A 21-year-old immigrant driver, with a history of reckless driving, who killed the Italian cyclists, is a punk kid enjoying new-found excesses of western life. He likely would have killed these cyclists even if he hadn’t smoked marijuana. Speaking of which, the marijuana test doesn’t show that he was under the influence. A person can test positive many days after the high is gone. You might as well blame the color of his car for causing the incident.

 

[Cristiano]

Its a tragedy, to be sure, but one incident. It has scare value as the lead entry in the parade of horribles about reefer madness, but its not a persuasive argument except to point out the obvious that no one should drive intoxicated.

Guess why this is considered a cultural joke.

I understand what you say and I also understand that the sole purpose of marijuana use is to get high, nothing else. I also think that any form of intoxication is dangerous, immoral and stupid.

 

[Reservoir_Dog]

I understand what you say and I also understand that the sole purpose of marijuana use is to get high, nothing else. I also think that any form of intoxication is dangerous, immoral and stupid.

Overstate the case and you’ll have people laughing at the kernel of truth, that’s why morality tales like* Tell Your Children* turn into jokes like Reefer Madness.

 

[Big_Ro]

I think that there is a big difference between smoking marijuana and drinking alcoholic beverages. The only intent of smoking is to get high, while in the case of alcoholic beverages that it is not true. However, people that drink to get drunk find themselves in a illegal position (e.g. public intoxication, DWI, etc.) and that is almost the equivalent of making alcohol illegal.

I like to drink wine and good liquors; however, I do not like to get a buzz. That is reflected by the fact that I rather spend more money on small amounts of high quality beverages then buying cheap booze. I will just drink less and enjoy more what I drink.

My friend. There is no way to drink any amount of alchohol without experiencing some level of impairment. It takes 30 seconds for a drink of alchohol to go from lips to brain. Even one ounce of alchohol impairs judgment, reaction time and reduces inhibitions. You may feel that you are not impaired, but you are confusing your lack of ability to detect your own impairment with a lack of impairment. I am not condoning marijuana use by any means, but your assertion comes up regularly in these discussions, about the relative wrong-ness of using marijuana,which also seems to appear periodically on this forum. I think it’s dangerous, with all due respect, to suggest that there is an amount of alchohol use that is “safe”. And yes, one ounce of straight alchohol is the same as one 12 oz. beer as one 8 oz. glass of wine. While body weight and fat content may affect your blood alchohol level, it doesn’t mean that your brain is not impaired. It’s just that blood alchohol levels are realtively easy to test for while impairment is far more difficult to test for by law enforcement. Please be careful whenever using any intoxicant.

 

[Cristiano]

The reason why using marijuana is wrong because it’s illegal. That should be sufficient reason for a teenager not to use marijuana.

As for why marijuana is illegal, primarily because using drugs for recreation is seen as a sin.

Studies show that marijuana doesn’t significantly affect driving. A 21-year-old immigrant driver, with a history of reckless driving, who killed the Italian cyclists, is a punk kid enjoying new-found excesses of western life. He likely would have killed these cyclists even if he hadn’t smoked marijuana. Speaking of which, the marijuana test doesn’t show that he was under the influence. A person can test positive many days after the high is gone. You might as well blame the color of his car for causing the incident.

I am sorry, you are completely right. The poor bastard should go to jail just because he is a stupid Moroccan, that is what it made him a dangerous driver. What about putting in jail all the Asians that are here in the USA because they are dangerous drivers?

 

[Cristiano]

My friend. There is no way to drink any amount of alchohol without experiencing some level of impairment. It takes 30 seconds for a drink of alchohol to go from lips to brain. Even one ounce of alchohol impairs judgment, reaction time and reduces inhibitions. You may feel that you are not impaired, but you are confusing your lack of ability to detect your own impairment with a lack of impairment. I am not condoning marijuana use by any means, but your assertion comes up regularly in these discussions, about the relative wrong-ness of using marijuana,which also seems to appear periodically on this forum. I think it’s dangerous, with all due respect, to suggest that there is an amount of alchohol use that is “safe”. And yes, one ounce of straight alchohol is the same as one 12 oz. beer as one 8 oz. glass of wine. While body weight and fat content may affect your blood alchohol level, it doesn’t mean that your brain is not impaired. It’s just that blood alchohol levels are realtively easy to test for while impairment is far more difficult to test for by law enforcement. Please be careful whenever using any intoxicant.

This is just a lot of qualitative talk but the amount and timing of impairment from alcohol is controlled by many variables and I am not going to debate them here. You are correct in assuming that even people that do not drink to be intoxicated might end up that way, but usually it is because of lack of self control. That are amounts of alcohol that are safe and that depends on the intake process and the individual biochemistry; however lack of self control can easily put people above those limits even if they not plan intoxication. That is the same lack of control that allows you to get behind the wheel of a car when you are tired.

 

[Barbkw]

A better question (from an old pot head):

“Just why is reality - without drug intoxication - so difficult to accept?”

 

[Reservoir_Dog]

A better question (from an old pot head):

“Just why is reality - without drug intoxication - so difficult to accept?”

false dichotomy

 

[Barbkw]

Your “go to” remark when the brain cells fail to connect - “false dichotomy.”