Tuesday, February 21, 2023

Should christians smoke pot?

 





leviticus 10:1 And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not.And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord.Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the Lord spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entheogenic_use_of_cannabis
        Now to be fair we are not certain just what the strange fire was, that was prohibited However there is a question that needs to be answered.  what was it about the strange fire that deserved execution?  Studies show that the common practice of many neighbiring pagans

       It is common medical understanding that alcoholic drinks are classified as drugs.  It should be no surprise that the Bible agrees.

Matthew 27:34 They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink."

Numbers 6:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the Lord He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried.All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk."

Pharmakeia STRONGS G5331:
φαρμακεία
 (WH κια, so T (except in Galatians 5:20; cf. the Proleg., p. 88); see Iota), φαρμακείας (φαρμακεύω);

a. the use or the administering of drugs (Xenophon, mem. 4, 2, 17).
b. poisoning (PlatoPolybius, others): Revelation 9:21 (here WH text Tr marginal reading φαρμακῶν; many interpretations refer the passage to the next entry).
c. sorcery, magical arts, often found in connection with idolatry and fostered by it: Galatians 5:20 (where see Lightfoot) (Wis. 12:4 Wis. 18:13; for כְּשָׁפִיםIsaiah 47:9; for לָטִיםExodus 7:22Exodus 8:18; for לְהָטִיםExodus 7:11); tropically, of the deceptions and seductions of idolatry, Revelation 18:23.



Acts 8:9 
But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:"

Galatians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."


God's Word translation galatians 5:20 idolatry, drug use, hatred, rivalry, jealousy, angry outbursts, selfish ambition, conflict, factions



1 Samuel 15:23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.24 And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice".

Nahum 3:4 Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the well favoured harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts".
  Here we see the obvious mentions of witchcraft would fit in with drug abuse in Ninevah.

Isaiah 5:11 Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!12 And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the Lord, neither consider the operation of his hands.13 Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst.14 Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it."
  This really pulls things together.  Intoxication is a part of the heathen hedonistic lifestyle.  The desire for pleasure overcomes all faculties.  It's end is in destruction.

Micah 2:10 Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction.11 If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people."
   False prophets entice God's people of the intoxicating religion,  False prophecy is a product of the demonic.  The pagan religions thrived on drug use as an alternative to biblical spirituality.

Prov. 23:29 Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?30 They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.32 At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.33 Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.34 Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.35 They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again."

Ephesians 5:17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. 18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;"
  If you want to be in the spirit you can not use drugs to be in the flesh.  If you are in the flesh you will not in the spirit.  Resorting to drugs for mood altering 

Isaiah 28:
And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate.But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear."

        Just as drugs can pervade a community the intoxication can pervade religion.


https://nida.nih.gov/publications/research-reports/marijuana/there-link-between-marijuana-use-psychiatric-disorders
"Several studies have linked marijuana use to increased risk for psychiatric disorders, including psychosis (schizophrenia), depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders, but whether and to what extent it actually causes these conditions is not always easy to determine.32  Recent research suggests that smoking high-potency marijuana every day could increase the chances of developing psychosis by nearly five times compared to people who have never used marijuana.113 "

Contemporary marijuana is more dangerous
marijuana is a gateway drug
https://nida.nih.gov/publications/research-reports/marijuana/marijuana-gateway-drug

Some research suggests that marijuana use is likely to precede use of other licit and illicit substances45 and the development of addiction to other substances. For instance, a study using longitudinal data from the National Epidemiological Study of Alcohol Use and Related Disorders found that adults who reported marijuana use during the first wave of the survey were more likely than adults who did not use marijuana to develop an alcohol use disorder within 3 years; people who used marijuana and already had an alcohol use disorder at the outset were at greater risk of their alcohol use disorder worsening.46 Marijuana use is also linked to other substance use disorders including nicotine addiction.

Early exposure to cannabinoids in adolescent rodents decreases the reactivity of brain dopamine reward centers later in adulthood.47 To the extent that these findings generalize to humans, this could help explain the increased vulnerability for addiction to other substances of misuse later in life that most epidemiological studies have reported for people who begin marijuana use early in life.48 It is also consistent with animal experiments showing THC’s ability to "prime" the brain for enhanced responses to other drugs.49 For example, rats previously administered THC show heightened behavioral response not only when further exposed to THC but also when exposed to other drugs such as morphine—a phenomenon called cross-sensitization.50


higher THC)
"WHAT WE KNOW:  Marijuana potency has increased in the past decades, up from about 4% in the 1980s to an average of 15% today. Marijuana extracts, used in dabbing and edibles, can contain an average of 50% and up to 90% THC. The main psychoactive, or mood altering, ingredient in marijuana is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol). The level of THC in marijuana varies and determines the multitude of effects on the body and the brain."
https://www.mjfactcheck.org/potency#:~:text=WHAT%20WE%20KNOW%3A%20Marijuana%20potency,and%20up%20to%2090%25%20THC.

Synthetic marijuana
https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugfacts/synthetic-cannabinoids-k2spice

"Synthetic cannabinoids are human-made mind-altering chemicals that are either sprayed on dried, shredded plant material so they can be smoked or sold as liquids to be vaporized and inhaled in e-cigarettes and other devices. These products are also known as herbal or liquid incense.These chemicals are called cannabinoids because they are similar to chemicals found in the marijuana plant. Because of this similarity, synthetic cannabinoids are sometimes misleadingly called synthetic marijuana (or fake weed), and they are often marketed as safe, legal alternatives to that drug. In fact, they are not safe and may affect the brain much more powerfully than marijuana; their actual effects can be unpredictable and, in some cases, more dangerous or even life-threatening."


"
Synthetic cannabinoids act on the same brain cell receptors as THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), the mind-altering ingredient in marijuana.So far, there have been few scientific studies of the effects of synthetic cannabinoids on the human brain, but researchers do know that some of them bind more strongly than marijuana to the cell receptors affected by THC and can produce much stronger effects. The resulting health effects can be unpredictable and dangerous."

Vaping
https://drugfree.org/article/vaping-and-marijuana-what-you-need-to-know/#:~:text=Vaping%20can%20be%20difficult%20to,shifts%20in%20behavior%20and%20mood.

"When teens vape marijuana they’re putting two vital organs at risk: their brains and their lungsThe brain of an adolescent or young adult continues to grow and develop well into early adulthood, and is busy developing critical skills related to problem-solving, impulse control, anticipating consequences and more. Marijuana can get in the way of this crucial development.  It’s important for parents and caregivers to note that marijuana may impact the brains of young people differently than it impacts the brains of fully mature adults. Long-lasting or permanent effects on the developing adolescent brain due to marijuana use may include:
  • Difficulty with critical thinking skills like attention, problem solving and memory
  • Impaired reaction time and coordination, especially as it relates to driving
  • Decline in school performance
  • Increased risk of mental health issues including depression or anxiety and, in some cases, psychosis where there is a family history of it""



drinking
https://www.healthline.com/health/alcohol-and-weed#bad-reaction
A higher risk of dependence
2017 review of existing studies notes that people who use alcohol and weed together tend to consume more of both. This can increase your risk for developing a dependence on alcohol, weed, or both.
Decreased cognitive function
study from 2011Trusted Source evaluated performance on cognitive tasks among 21 heavy weed users who had consumed alcohol.  Those who consumed just alcohol had worse cognitive functioning than those who only consumed THC. Those who combined the two had reduced cognitive performance than those who only consumed alcohol.  Over the long term, combining alcohol and weed may be associated with decreased cognitive function and changes in brain structures, such as the hippocampus.
Impaired driving
A number of recent studies also focus on how combining weed and alcohol affects your driving.  In a 2013 studyTrusted Source, 80 people participated in six testing sessions. In each session, participants consumed a different combination of placebo, low, and moderate doses of THC and alcohol. Then they completed a driving simulation. 
The researchers reported that combining THC and alcohol consistently impaired driving performance, with worse performance during nighttime simulations.   Adding alcohol to a low dose of THC impaired driving simulator scores by 21 percent. Adding alcohol to a high dose of THC impaired driving simulator scores by 17 percent."

medical marijuana) https://www.health.state.mn.us/people/cannabis/docs/patients/patientinfosheet.pdf
First it is agreed upon that the following groups should not take medical marijuana.
"Some people are at increased risk of harm from use of cannabis People in the groups listed in this section should generally not use medical cannabis due to the risk of increased harm. Talk to your health care practitioner if you have concerns or questions. For a review of scientific literature that discusses risks, see Brief Review of Studies Regarding Increased Risk of Harm with Cannabis Use (PDF).

Children, adolescents, and young adults
Use of medical cannabis in children, adolescents, and young adults should be approached with special caution. Since the human brain is actively developing and continues to develop until approximately 25 years of age, cannabis use during adolescence may impact the developing brain and cause problems with attention, motivation, and memory. 6,7 In addition, there are risks associated with exposure to secondhand cannabis smoke since it contains many of the same toxic and cancer-causing chemicals found in tobacco smoke. 8 Evidence shows links between recreational use of marijuana in children, adolescents, and young adults and: 6,7  delays or declines in the ways the brain processes information  the risk for future dependence on cannabis  the onset of psychotic mental illness such as schizophrenia Much remains unknown about who is at risk for these outcomes, and whether these risks with recreational marijuana use apply to use of medical cannabis for children, adolescents, and young adults. For some people with serious disease and debilitating symptoms that are not controlled with conventional medical treatments, the potential benefits of treatment with medical cannabis may outweigh the potential risks, especially for medical cannabis products containing only CBD extracts. For more information, go to Dosing and Chemical Compositions Report. More studies are needed to answer these questions.
People who are pregnant or breastfeeding Avoid medical cannabis if you are pregnant, are planning to get pregnant, or are breastfeeding. There is some evidence that use of cannabis while pregnant may be linked to low birth weight or early delivery. However, it is difficult to separate out the harms caused by cannabis use from the harms caused by tobacco use in most studies. 9 Using cannabis while pregnant may be linked to brain changes while the baby is developing, leading to memory, attention, and behavioral problems such as aggression and impulse control IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND WARNINGS ABOUT USING MEDICAL CANNABIS 3 for the child in its early years and during adolescence. Children whose parent used cannabis during pregnancy are at increased risk of psychotic experiences during adolescence. 10,11
People at risk of dependence and addiction Use of medical cannabis could lead to cannabis dependence and addiction. Risk of addiction is higher for people who have experienced other addictions, or for people who use large doses of products with high THC levels. 12 For these reasons:  Do not use medical cannabis, or use with great caution, if you have an addiction disorder to any other substance, including tobacco/nicotine.  If you are a regular, heavy user of medical cannabis, stopping use suddenly can lead to uncomfortable and serious withdrawal symptoms that can last for several days. Withdrawal symptoms are more likely with large doses of products with high THC content.
People with mental health conditions Recreational use of marijuana is known to sometimes cause psychotic episodes. 13 These can be unpleasant and potentially dangerous. The following can increase the risk of psychotic episodes:  Using medical cannabis extract products with high levels of THC, or high ratios of THC to CBD.  Having a family history of schizophrenia or other psychotic disorder. For that reason, medical cannabis should not be used or should be used with great caution in patients with a family history of psychotic disorder, such as schizophrenia. A person who has a psychotic disorder such as schizophrenia or has a family history of schizophrenia or other psychotic disorder should not use medical cannabis. In particular, medical cannabis products with high levels of THC should not be used. When people with schizophrenia or a psychotic disorder stop using cannabis, their psychotic symptoms typically improve. 13,14 People with serious heart or liver disease A person who has serious heart or liver disease should not use medical cannabis or use it with great caution. There is some evidence that use of medical cannabis could cause a heart attack in patients known to have serious heart disease. 15,16 Serious liver disease could cause problems with how the body metabolizes cannabis."
 
Warnings

Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome People who develop hyperemesis syndrome have nausea, severe vomiting, and abdominal pain for days that repeats every week or every few weeks. A few patients enrolled in the Medical Cannabis Program have been hospitalized for cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome. Check with your health care practitioner or dispensary pharmacist if you experience any signs or symptoms of this syndrome.
Do not drive, operate machinery, or do work that could harm people while using medical cannabis Using medical cannabis can slow reflexes and reaction time, make it difficult to pay attention or make decisions, and change the way people perceive things around them. 17 This can make it dangerous to drive, operate machinery, or engage in any activity that could harm others or cause professional malpractice. How long these changes last depend on the person, the type of medical cannabis product that was used, the dose of the product, and other factors. At a minimum, the changes can last several hours. The impact of taking medical cannabis is greater when people:  Use products with higher THC levels.  Drink alcohol while using medical cannabis.
Keep medications secure and in their original containers When medications are not in their original containers, it is easier to mix up the identity of a drug. The label on the original container identifies the lawful owner of the product. As with any medication, medical cannabis should be kept in a secure place where others such as children cannot gain access to it. "

The studies are in, but are the people reading?
https://imprimis.hillsdale.edu/marijuana-mental-illness-violence/?fbclid=IwAR2yD0DESmRc4-QzTuuOes5iBXxUQWcgVhz8hFYiLP4-stefyrnfxPynwIM

Marijuana, Mental Illness, and Violence

"Cannabis advocates often argue that the drug can’t be as neurotoxic as studies suggest, because otherwise Western countries would have seen population-wide increases in psychosis alongside rising use. In reality, accurately tracking psychosis cases is impossible in the United States. The government carefully tracks diseases like cancer with central registries, but no such registry exists for schizophrenia or other severe mental illnesses.  On the other hand, research from Finland and Denmark, two countries that track mental illness more comprehensively, shows a significant increase in psychosis since 2000, following an increase in cannabis use. And in September of last year, a large federal survey found a rise in serious mental illness in the United States as well, especially among young adults, the heaviest users of cannabis."

"According to this latter study, 7.5 percent of adults age 18-25 met the criteria for serious mental illness in 2017, double the rate in 2008. What’s especially striking is that adolescents age 12-17 don’t show these increases in cannabis use and severe mental illness."

Advocates for people with mental illness do not like discussing the link between schizophrenia and crime. They fear it will stigmatize people with the disease. “Most people with mental illness are not violent,” the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) explains on its website. But wishing away the link can’t make it disappear. In truth, psychosis is a shockingly high risk factor for violence. The best analysis came in a 2009 paper in PLOS Medicine by Dr. Seena Fazel, an Oxford University psychiatrist and epidemiologist. Drawing on earlier studies, the paper found that people with schizophrenia are five times as likely to commit violent crimes as healthy people, and almost 20 times as likely to commit homicide.
A Swiss study of 265 psychotic patients published in Frontiers of Forensic Psychiatry
 last June found that over a three-year period, young men with psychosis who used cannabis had a 50 percent chance of becoming violent. That risk was four times higher than for those with psychosis who didn’t use, even after adjusting for factors such as alcohol use. Other researchers have produced similar findings. A 2013 paper in an Italian psychiatric journal examined almost 1,600 psychiatric patients in southern Italy and found that cannabis use was associated with a ten-fold increase in violence."

"These crimes rarely receive more than local attention. Psychosis-induced violence takes particularly ugly forms and is frequently directed at helpless family members. The elite national media prefers to ignore the crimes as tabloid fodder. Even police departments, which see this violence up close, have been slow to recognize the trend, in part because the epidemic of opioid overdose deaths has overwhelmed them."
So the black tide of psychosis and the red tide of violence are rising steadily, almost unnoticed, on a slow green wave.






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