Another Great Fake | Eastern North Carolina Now

    My email and snail mail are full of advertisements telling me how to get rich with cannabis or to us commoners "marijuana'. There is so much publicity that a lot of people think this harmful plant is now legal. It is only legal in the states that have approved its use by law. The federal government has not made the use of marijuana legal.

    About three years ago when John "the RINO" Boehner decided not to be Speaker of the House, the marijuana industry developed a strategy to create what they consider to be a legal industry. They hired the RINO, John Boehner, to be their leader and lobbyist. That strategy is to get states to make this evil drug legal, and in so doing intimidate the Federal Government into not enforcing their laws. With the mellowing of public opinion about the use of mind altering drugs this industry hopes the Federal courts will go away and leave them alone. Another way to say this is to divide and conquer. However, Federal Courts, when large activist groups provide support, have enforced laws on racial justice and abortion.

    The jury is still out on whether or not this strategy will be successful. No national group has taken a strong stand against legalizing marijuana. Such a national group could be religious or a wave of public disgust.

    A great many credentialed investigators and researchers state, without hesitation, that the use of marijuana, whether legal or not, is very harmful to the developing brain up to as much as the age of 27 years. They further state that marijuana is harmful to the fully developed brain.

    Many studies conducted by competent professionals point to increased schizophrenia, and psychotic events, impaired brain development and antisocial behavior. Recent studies indicate that continued or prolonged use is not necessary to make pathological changes in the brain. Some 14 year olds used marijuana only once or twice and developed brain changes that are known effects from marijuana use. Even in cases with pre-existing psychosis, marijuana use makes the condition worse. What about second hand smoke's effect on anyone to say nothing of mothers who smoke marijuana while pregnant..

    Marijuana affects the memory, learning and emotional behavior parts of the brain. This affect is not only with the so called wiring of the brain but by enlarging or diminishing physically certain parts of the brain.

    There are plenty of marijuana users who steadfastly argue that marijuana use does not affect the physical or emotional brain. Even if they do not say it, I get the feeling they are using themselves as an example. The user of mind altering drugs can never use themselves as examples because their intellect has nothing to compare what their condition would have been had they not used marijuana. Most of these people should not make arguments for marijuana use and you would know why when you hear them try to make their case.

    The use of marijuana changes physically and electrically the juvenile brain up to the age of 27 years. Use dulls the memory in the adult brain. Tobacco, as bad as it is, does not come close to the effects of marijuana use. Society and the future of any nation that legalizes recreational narcotic drugs is at high risk.

    Do not buy into the notion that medical use is worth while. The number of people who are helped is very small. Can you name a medical user who has been helped or cured? There are alternative medications to marijuana, some of them as simple as aspirin.

    Today a lot of cannabis related chemicals are sold principally in convenience stores. We should outlaw all of those sales.

    It is not socially acceptable to talk about and educate our friends and acquaintances about how bad cannabis use is. One reason is that marijuana use is every where. There is virtually no family in the United States that does not have a member who is a user or is otherwise negatively impacted. The other side of the coin with law enforcement is equally clouded. Judges, lawyers, peace officers, psychologists, counselors and the mental health industry make a living, either directly or indirectly, from the illegal use of drugs. About one third of all court cases are drug related. That is a lot of money and jobs. This industry does not flourish without the assistance of some of these people.

    The Christian Bible teaches that our bodies are temples. As believers we are not do defile our temple. Marijuana use is so ever present that the Christian religion has not bothered to lift a finger to fight the recent legalization of marijuana. The one organization that should be leading the fight is the church.

    Recently there has been a great hue and cry about mental health. The rise in the number of people with mental impairment is astounding. Liberals cry and wring their hands. The gullible church goes along with them. The politicians that I know just want to find ways to get more money for these poor unfortunate people. No one asks why we suddenly have so many people needing mental health services. The answer is very clear when one reads the research on marijuana and other recreational drugs. The rise in mental heath needs is directly related to the use of marijuana and other recreational drugs.

    Between politicians who have relaxed the laws on drug use and churches who have turned their back we have a huge battle in front of us. Yes, politicians have passed laws protecting those who overdose when EMS services are called. None of the information gleaned from the call can be used to charge anyone involved for drug use. Churches simply do not want to talk about it in public. It is ok at Sunday school but not in public.

    Instead of throwing money at the bottomless pit of services to the mentally (self) impaired we need to solve the problem by stopping the use of recreational drugs. The costs in destroyed lives and money are not sustainable. Look at the cost in wrecked lives, jails, mental health services and the break up of families. The churches should be on this like bees on honey.

    We cannot afford any of the costs of marijuana and recreational use. Christians, stand up and be counted, or are you and your family users too. This is not about protecting our friends, neighbors and relatives who may be users.