What about the
medical use of marijuana? Is it legitimate?By Jack Kettler
In this article, I will defend
the use of marijuana for medical purposes. My
lines of argumentation will be as follows:
An appeal to a proper
understanding of Scripture.
An appeal to medical science.
An appeal to the Constitution.
An appeal to
entrepreneurial-ship.
Contrary to official government propaganda,
Cannabis Sativa has been used as medicine in
many of the world’s cultures for thousands of
years. More importantly, the use of marijuana
for medical use and even recreational use is
not a conservative or liberal issue. It is a
constitutional freedom issue! A case in point,
conservative Christian columnist, Michelle
Malkin, has powerfully defended the medical
use of marijuana as a freedom issue. Links to
articles on this topic will follow in section
3.
I invite you to be the jury and evaluate my
thesis on medical marijuana. To qualify to be
on the jury you must watch the Dr. Sanjay
Gupta CNN Special - Documentary “Weed.” Part
one and two this two-part documentary is
positive anecdotal evidence from medical
doctors and scientific researchers. Links are
listed below in section two.
The CNN documentary is balanced and warns
about dangers of marijuana use among young
people and how it may arrest brain development.
In addition, prolonged recreation abuse in
some people may cause psychiatric problems. A
close family member is in a managerial
position at a state run mental health
facility. In this facility, there are a number
of people who have ongoing mental health
issues traced to marijuana and other drugs
that have been abuse. As tragic as this is the
amount of people this happens to is
statistically insignificant compared to deaths
from legally prescribed drugs. See Annual Causes of Death
in the United States for
statistics that confirm this.
First off, I am coming from the position,
which is committed to alternative
complimentary therapies that can assist the
best in allopathic medicine. This includes
required daily nutritional intake, dietary
supplements, herbals, homeopathy, energy
medicine, acupuncture, chiropractic, and
medical marijuana.
A little history on medical freedom that
never was:
One of the signers of the Declaration of
Independence was, Dr. Benjamin Rush, a doctor,
educator and politician. Dr. Rush was a member
of the Continental Congress and was a member
of the Pennsylvania Convention that ratified
the US Constitution. He became a professor of
medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and
was a founder of the first American
Antislavery society. Rush Medical College in
Chicago is named after him.
In addition to Dr. Rush's amazing career in
medicine he had, one very significant idea
that he wanted added to the Constitution's
Bill of Rights. Dr. Rush believed that the
right to Medical Freedom should be imprinted
into the Bill of Rights and was just as
important as the right to Freedom of Speech
and Religion. His thoughts were incredibly
accurate given today's political climate. The
following is a quote from Dr. Rush's argument
before the American Continental Congress:
“Unless we put Medical Freedom into the
Constitution, the time will come when medicine
will organize into an undercover
dictatorship...to restrict the art of healing
to one class of men, and deny equal privilege
to others, will be to constitute the Bastille
of Medical Science. All such laws are
Un-American and despotic, and have no place in
a Republic...The Constitution of this Republic
should make special privilege for Medical
Freedom as well as Religious Freedom.”
Unfortunately, the right to medical freedom
was not added to the Bill of Rights in the
Constitution, and now we have the government,
medical and pharmaceutical groups working
together to limit our health choices. In
short, we have a monstrous medical monopoly
enforced by the increasingly compromised and
corrupt FDA along with the Federal Trade
Commissions (FTC), which routinely censors
truthful health claims. See my The Pharmaceutical
Drug Cartel and the FDA
The early church theologian Origen allegedly
said: “no one would act rationally in avoiding
medicine because of its heresies. The Bible
does not tell us to refuse medicine, it tells
us to refuse sorcery. We are free to use
medicines in the purposes that God designed
them to be used, and are to acknowledge Him
concerning them.”
Marijuana laws in America:
Briefly, in 1937 the Marijuana Tax Act was
introduced in the U.S. Congress. With this
legislation, it became mandatory for sellers
to acquire a license from the government. In
the beginning, outright prohibition was not in
view. The Bureau of Narcotics Commissioner,
Harry Anslinger testified in hearings on
marijuana, that it had to be banned because
the so-called inferior peoples would get
hopped up on a reefer and go mad and start
committing crimes. This “boogie man” populist
argument worked extremely well during the time
when the Nazi, Sanger, eugenics movement was
popular.
Supposedly, an outright ban on hemp was not in
view. However, the government workers who were
supposed to issue the licenses to sell hemp
products, refused to do so, and De Facto
prohibition started. From then on, government
propaganda machine against marijuana literally
exploded with idiotic films like “Reefer
Madness.” There is much more that can be said
about various businesses at the time that used
the power of government to put hemp
manufacturers out of business in order to
promote their own modern synthetic fabrics.
This happens frequently in business. In
particular, large corporate manufacturers
often support massive government regulations
because new startup companies can never
over-come the regulatory hurdles to become
viable competitors.
Introduction to an appeal to a proper
understanding Scriptures:
Today, conservative Christians are generally
the biggest opponents of medical marijuana
research and use. One reason I am writing this
article, is to challenge faulty legalistic
thinking on the subject. If the Scripture does
not forbid something, it would be legalism for
the church to forbid what Scripture has not.
When doing research on the topic of drug use,
correct biblical understanding is crucial. The
understanding of word pharmakeia and
related words are essential to arrive at a
biblically balanced position on the topic. Are
there restrictions or contextual limits in our
understanding of pharmakeia?
It may come as a surprise; there are many web
sites that put forth the idea that there is a
connection between pharmakeia and
medical doctor prescribed drugs and sorcery.
These web sites condemn all pharmaceutical
drugs prescribed by a doctor. Is this
reasonable or biblical? Are antibiotics drugs
like penicillin and high blood pressure
medicine connected to sorcery, or witchcraft?
Most Christians after serious reflection upon
Scripture would hesitate to draw these
conclusions. In the case of marijuana for
medical use, many Christians, dismiss this
possibility out of hand, and fall back upon
what I hope demonstrate is a reaction caused
by an improper biblical understanding, that
attempts to make a connection of pharmakeia
(pharmacy, drug store) with drug use, and
sorcery.
Unfortunately, many modern Christians accept
the present drug laws because of a faulty
understanding of pharmakeia. As a
result, we have had a nearly a 100 year failed
drug war by our federal government against a
plant. Literally, tens of thousands of lives
have been destroyed for no compelling biblical
reason. Police departments, the courts, and
politicians have been corrupted because of the
huge profits obtained from property seizures
and under the table payoffs for officials to
keep silent by cash rich drug cartels. No
doubt, some will say “we have to do
something.” We do, it is called personal
responsibility.
1. An appeal to a proper understanding of
Scripture.
Does the Bible condemn using a plant like
marijuana for medical purposes? Let us start
by looking at the following Scriptures:
“And the earth brought forth grass and herb
yielding seed after its kind, and the tree
yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself,
after his kind: and God saw that it was good.”
(Genesis 1:12) (Underlining emphasis mine)
“God said, “Behold, I have given you every
herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of
all the earth, and every tree in which is the
fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall
be for meat. And to every beast of the earth,
and to every fowl of the air, and to
everything that creepeth upon the earth,
wherein there is life, I have given every
green herb for meat: and it was so.” “And God
saw everything that he had made, and,
behold, it was very good. And the
evening and the morning were the sixth day.”
(Genesis 1:29-31)
God calls His creation good. Does this
include cannabis sativa?
As and aside, wine is mentioned in the Bible
and since it can be used in moderation or
abused, has some comparative similarities to
the use of other plants that can be abused or
used for good purposes. For example, wine is
used during religious occasions such as
Passover and the Lord's Supper. Jesus began
his public life by miraculously turning water
into real fermented wine at the Wedding at
Cana when the party ran out of its supply.
(John 2:1-10)
Wine is used as a sacrament in a majority of
church services around the world by the very
command of Christ himself. Our Lord, in spite
of the fact that it is also abused, sanctions
the use of wine. The Bible clearly condemns
drunkenness. Gluttony is condemned in
Scripture, and yet God provides the blessings
of food in due season for His people.
The Scriptures distinguish between use and
misuse. The Bible says:
“Give strong drink unto him that is ready
to perish and wine unto those that
be of heavy hearts.” (Proverbs 31:6-7)
“But Woe unto them that … follow strong drink;
that continue until night, till wine inflame
them.” (Isaiah 5:10)
There is a principle of Scripture in the
Proverbs passage of showing mercy. Today, this
principle can be met by prescribed medicines
that are more effective in pain management
than strong drink.
The blessing of drinking wine is mentioned in
Scripture. “He causeth the grass to grow for
the cattle, and herb for the service of man:
that he may bring forth food out of the earth;
and wine that maketh glad the heart of man and
oil to make his face to shineth.” (Psalms
104:14-15)
“And the vine said unto them, Should I leave
my wine, which cheereth God and man,
and go to be promoted over the trees?” (Judges
9:13)
“And the fourth part of a hin of wine for
a drink offering shalt thou prepare with
the burnt offering or sacrifice, for one
lamb.” (Numbers 15:5)
Wine can be abused, yet God commands wine to
be offered to Him for a drink offering in the
Old Testament.
This next passage gets right to the
significant part of the matter:
“Not that which goeth into the mouth
defileth a man; that which cometh out of
the mouth defileth a man.” (Matthew 15:11)
It is not that which goes into a man's
mouth that defiles him, but what comes
out of his mouth. If something bad is coming
out of a man's mouth, it is a spiritual heart
problem. Taking a puff of marijuana, or taking
orally, a refined plant chemical from the
cannabis plant or sipping some alcohol does
not defile a man. This type of argument is no
different than “the devil made me do it.”
Giving in to the fleshly desires of the “Old
Man,” or “Old Self” (Colossians 3:9-10) is
where the real problem is found.
The apostle Paul adds additional information
on Christ's teaching:
“I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus,
that there is nothing unclean of itself:
but to him that esteemeth anything to be
unclean, to him it is unclean. …” “For the
kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but
righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy
Ghost.” (Romans 14:14, 17)
This passage from Romans would include
cannabis sativa as not being unclean.
“All things are lawful for me, but all
things are not expedient: all things are
lawful for me, but all things edify not.” (1
Corinthians 10:23)
Does this include marijuana? I would say that
recreational marijuana is not expedient, but
medical marijuana does fall under the category
of mercy by alleviating pain, and other health
conditions, and is lawful.
What do the Scriptures say about drug use
and the connection with the Greek word pharmakeia
and its derivatives?
I have collected a number of references to pharmakeia
and related words from on-line sources such as
the Strong's Concordance, the Web Net
Dictionary, and the Greek-English Dictionary
to gain a better scriptural understanding on
the subject.
The Strong's Exhaustive Concordance defines
the word pharmakeia as follows:
5331 φαρμακεια pharmakeia, far-mak-i'-ah; from
5332; medication ("pharmacy" [pharmaceutical])
i.e. (by extens.) magic (lit. or
fig.):-sorcery, witchcraft.5332 φαρμακενς
pharmakeus, far-mak-yoos'; from φαρμακον
pharmakon (a drug or medicine, a spell giving
potion); a druggist (“pharmacist”) or
poisoner, i.e. (by extens.) a
magician:-sorcerer.5333 φαρμακος pharmakos,
far-mak-os'; the same as 5332:-sorcerer.
Pharmakeia <5331>
farmakeia, pharmakeia Pronunciation:
far-mak-i'-ah Origin: from 5332
Definition:
1) the use or the administering of drugs
2) poisoning
3) sorcery, magical arts, often
found in connection with idolatry and fostered
by it
4) metaphor, the deceptions and
seductions of idolatry from 5332; medication
(“pharmacy”), i.e. (by extension) magic
(literally or figuratively):-sorcery,
witchcraft. See the Greek for 5332
pharmakeus <5332> farmakeuv
pharmakeus
Pronunciation: far-mak-yoos'
Origin: from pharmakon (a drug,
i.e. spell-giving potion)
Definition:
1) one who prepares or uses magical remedies
2) sorcerer from pharmakon (a
drug, i.e. spell-giving potion); a druggist
(“pharmacist”) or poisoner, i.e.
(by extension) a magician:-sorcerer.
Word Net Dictionary:
Noun sorcery has 1 sense
sorcery (n = noun cognition)
black art, black magic, necromancy - the
belief in magical spells that harness occult
forces or evil spirits to produce unnatural
effects in the world; is a kind of magic,
thaumaturgy has particulars: witchcraft,
witchery, bewitchment, enchantment, demonism,
diabolism, satanism, obiism Derived forms verb
sorcerise1, verb sorcerize1, adjective
sorcerous1
Noun pharma has 1 sense
pharma (n = noun group) drug
company, pharmaceutical company - a company
that makes and sells pharmaceuticals; is this
kind of company.
And from the Greek-English Dictionary:
pharmakeia = poisoning; sorcery
pharmakeion = drugstore, pharmacy
pharmaki = poison, venom
pharmakon = medicine; drug;
remedy
To understand these Greek words properly,
ancients Greek texts should be consulted. If
this is done, much false understanding will
disappear.
It is possible to draw two conclusions from
this data on pharmakeia and pharmakon:
pharmakeia = sorcery,
involving drug-induced idolatrous religious
experiences, witchcraft, demonism,
deceptions and spell-giving potions, poison.
The first choice while not dealing with all of
the possible connections stemming from pharmakeia
and sorcery does justice to the biblical data.
The second choice also draws conclusions
warranted by the biblical data. Said another
way, it is clear that there is a connection
between pharmakeia, drug use, sorcery,
and idolatry. In light of the second choice,
it is not clear that there is a connection
between pharmakeia, medicine, plant
chemicals, naturopaths, homeopaths, and
herbalists who use alternative and natural
medicines, sorcery, and idolatry. Pharmakeia
means poison, sorcery and should not be
confused with pharmakon, which can
mean medicine.
Pharmakeia and its
related word forms appear four times in the
Book of Revelation as follows:
“Neither repented they of their murders, nor
of their sorceries (Pharmakeia),
nor of their fornication, nor of their
thefts.” (Revelation 9:21)
”And the light of a candle shall
shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of
the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard
no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were
the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries
(Pharmakeia) were all nations
deceived.” (Revelation 18:23)
“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the
abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers,
and sorcerers (pharmakon), and
idolaters, and all liars, shall have their
part in the lake which burneth with fire and
brimstone: which is the second death.”
(Revelation 21:8)
“For without are dogs, and sorcerers (pharmakeus),
and whoremongers, and murderers, and
idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a
lie.” (Revelation 22:15)
Comments on the passages from Revelation:
There are differing views regarding the
interpretation of the book of Revelation. Four
common views are the historicist (a method of
interpretation which associates biblical
prophecies with actual historical events),
preterist (past fulfillment), futurist (future
fulfillment), and the idealist (called the
spiritual, allegorical, or non-literal
approach) views.The book of
Revelation belongs to a class of literature
called “apocalyptic.” The bible uses many
literary forms. For example, it uses genera's
such as; law, historical narrative, wisdom,
poetical, gospel, didactic letters, or
epistles, predictive, and apocalyptic
literature.
In light of the fact that we are dealing with
a special genera of biblical literature,
namely, “apocalyptic,” and there are a least
four major schools of interpretation that
involve rather substantial differences, it is
probably best not to use these passages from
Revelation to build an iron clad case of
binding moral doctrine. Instead, we should
look to the didactic portions of Scripture.
The epistle to the Galatians is a didactic
portion of Scripture and it lists pharmakeia
or pharmacy as works of the flesh for which
those doing such things will not inherit the
Kingdom of God. It should be noted that the
Galatians passage in the only other passage
outside the book of Revelation where we find
the Greek word pharmakeia.
“Now the works of the flesh are manifest,
which are these; Adultery, fornication,
uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft
(pharmakeia), hatred, variance,
emulations, wrath, strife, seditions,
heresies, 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. But the fruit of
the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,
gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness,
temperance: against such there is no law.”
(Galatians 5:19-23)
Pharmakeia in this verse is
connected to the works of the flesh, not
doctors or medicine! The context is essential
for correct exegetical interpretation.
Ask yourself, in light of the usage of pharmakeia,
and related words, is your family doctor
involved in sorcery or witchcraft? If so,
should you stop going to your doctor? Is your
doctor prescribing drugs that induce demonic
spiritual experiences? The connection between
pharmakeia and sorcery is when a drug
concoction is used to induce a spiritual
experience. Unfortunately, many Christians
have used faulty logic in making connection
that is not there between medicine, herbals,
sorcery, and idolatry.
The fact that the modern word pharmacy is
derived from the Greek pharmakeia,
does not prove medical doctors are practicing
sorcery. On the contrary, the biblical usage
and condemnation is valid when the word pharmakeia
carries with it the invoking of, or promotion
of idol worship, which is why it is
consistently rendered in Scripture as sorcery,
and not herbs, medicine. The connection to
sorcery is referring to a drug-induced spell
in order to commune with the evil spirits.
Therefore, we must understand that Paul's
prohibition of pharmakeia as described
in Galatians 5:19-20, in describing the works
of the flesh, as a clear indictment of
“sorcery,” not of going to the doctor or using
properly prescribed medicine or herbals. The
gospel writer Luke was a physician. Was he
practicing sorcery? What about Christian
missionary doctors? The astute reader can see
how absurd this hard fast connection between pharmakeia,
doctors, and medicine is.
Moreover, it can be asserted that using
medical marijuana prescribed by a doctor is
not the same thing as sorcery. Just because
many people believe that pharmakeia alwaysequates tosorcery does not make
it so. If this were true, it follows
logically, that we should not take any
prescription medicines, use herbals or go to
doctors. As noted, there are many websites
that teach that any use of pharmaceutical
drugs prescribed by doctors is sorcery. These
claims are wrong and a misuse of Scripture and
usually associated with futuristic end times
mania theology.
Similarly, using marijuana for recreational
use is not necessarily sorcery. Recreational
drug use in most cases is nothing more than an
escape from reality or a seriously skewed view
of recreation. It is similar to the abuse of
other drugs. For example, alcohol abuse leads
to sexual sins, violence, addiction,
destruction of families, inability to hold a
job. And yet, as seen above, God gave wine to
make the heart merry and to remind His people
of the shed blood of His Son on the cross in
communion.
There is an obvious downside to
drug or alcohol abuse. No one wants their
children to become dependent on, or injured
using drugs or alcohol. As will be seen, the
answer is not massive government prohibition
programs that can never work, even with the
best of intentions.
Concluding this section; suggesting that
consuming herbals or prescription medicine is
sorcery is contrary to the teaching of
Scripture in its broader context. If the Bible
meant that medicine is sorcery, no doctor
would be able to prescribe medication without
breaking God's law. If doctors were
“sorcerers,” no Christian would be able to
take medication to recover from strep throat,
reduce high blood pressure and many other
ailments. Hence, it should be clear, that
there are limits when connecting pharmakeia
with drug-induced spiritual idolatrous
sorcery.
Scripture does not condemn or ban
pharmaceutical drugs, or plant based
medicines. Scripture does warn in the
strongest terms against drugs connected to
idolatrous worship and mind control. If the
Scriptures do not condemn or ban something,
neither should the church. The church can say
that not all things are expedient and not all
things work towards having a sound mind.
Beyond this, if the church legislates, it is
legalism because of going beyond Scripture.
What are modern day examples of drugs used
for evil religious purposes?
Sorcery has unmistakable dark spiritual
connections. In the Caribbean, for example,
marijuana, is called ganja, and is considered
“holy” and is used by the Rastafarians. They
consider this a sacrament in their false
idolatrous worship and a way to get closer to,
and understand God.
American Indians in the Southwest have made
use of peyote in their religious rituals.
Additionally, there are satanic religions like
Voodoo, Santeria, and Eastern Religions
ceremonies that have been connected to drug
use. These are examples of what the Scriptures
speak against regarding pharmakeia and
sorcery. I would speculate that a pimp using
drugs to addict a women and forced her into
prostitution would also fall under the
condemnation of pharmakeia and
drug-induce control.
In summary, I do not encourage the
recreational use of drugs. As stated, it is an
escape from reality. As Christians, we are to
be of sound minds (2 Timothy 1:7).
Unfortunately, we live in the era of big
government. Big government thrives on a
crisis. A crisis real or perceived is always
an excuse for the expansion of government.
Think about all the government wars on this or
that. How has the war on poverty worked out?
According to Fox News, over, the last 50
years, the government spent more than $16
trillion to fight poverty with no
success. What about the war on cancer?
In addition, the war on obesity? How are the
pro-big-government, i.e., public schools
performing?
Some argue that we should keep present drug
laws in place, because if it saves just one
life, it is worth it. Really? If that is a
workable standard, let's save 50 thousand
lives a year by reducing the national speed
limit to 5 mile per hour. Not only would that
save thousands of lives, it would also prevent
many thousands of injuries. We could also ban
alcohol and cigarettes because that would save
thousands of lives.
Most people will understand that we could save
lives using bans like this. If cars were
banned, there would be no automobile deaths.
If the first example of reducing the speed
limit to 5 miles per hour were implemented,
the economy would collapse, as commerce would
come to a standstill. The second example has
already been tried via a constitutional
amendment, which failed miserably. Society is
willing to tolerate a certain amount of loss
to keep goods and services moving with present
speed limit laws.
The war on drugs has been colossal failure.
Government involvement in education produces
nothing but mediocrity and citizens devoid of
any knowledge of biblical morality. Big
government bureaucracies have a built in stake
never to solve a problem. Once created, the
bureaucracy will never put itself out of
business by winning the war or solving the
problem. There is a huge price paid for asking
the fed gov for total protection, namely, the
loss of freedom and the empowerment of the
surveillance state. A little popular wisdom
notes; “Everything the government touches,
turns to crap.” - Ringo Starr
The answer is not the expansion of government,
but expansion of Christ's kingdom through the
preaching of the gospel. When people are
converted to Christ, and begin to mature in
Christ, they learn principles of biblical
living, which is the solution, and bulwark
against the temptations of the flesh. Modern
government programs are devoid of biblical
principles, and doomed to fail. Christ tells
us to build our house upon a rock or a strong
foundation. We do not need unending government
wars to protect us. We need Christ. Just as in
the old temperance movement and alcohol,
modern day-Christians have made the same
mistake of going down the failed path of
prohibition. Do we really want a total
regulatory state run by a bunch of parasitic
busy-bodies?
Faulting thinking:
In the past, when hearing someone use passages
in Genesis favorably regarding marijuana, I
would respond by saying, what about Hemlock? I
thought that this response took the wind out
of the sails of those referring to the Genesis
passages for a justification for using all
plants for good uses including marijuana. Some
simple research exposed my faulty thinking.
Well, what about Hemlock?
Hemlock to be sure is a poisonous plant.
Hemlock is native to Europe and western Asia
and was introduced into North America as an
ornamental plant. Despite serious safety
concerns, the leaves, root, and seeds of
Hemlock are used to make medicine. It is used
for breathing problems including bronchitis,
whooping cough, and asthma; and for painful
conditions including teething in children,
swollen and painful joints, and cramps.
Hemlock is also used for anxiety and mania.
Other uses include treatment of spasms tumors,
skin infections, epilepsy, Parkinson’s
disease, Sydenham’s chorea, and bladder
infections. Hemlock has also been used to
reverse strychnine poisoning. Hemlock is
poisonous and dangerous, yet also beneficial.
What about Heroin? Is it good? Are there
beneficial uses?
Heroin is a synthetic derivative of morphine.
Heroin or diacetylmorphine is a strong
analgesic pain killer medication. In the
England and the Netherlands, heroin is
available legally with proper prescription by
an appropriate physician. The National Health
Service (NHS) in Britain recommends giving it
to people in extreme pain, people in surgery
and women in labor because it works for pain
relief in just several short minutes. It is a
very effective pain killer. For patients with
terminal conditions, it is merciful to help
ease pain in end of life cases.
It follows that while a substance may be
abused, that very same substance can have
positive uses. I would argue that this is true
of marijuana. It can be abused and used as an
escape mechanism, or used for an increasing
number of known beneficial uses. More on this
in the next section.
According to the federal government,
marijuana is a scheduled 1, highly addictive
narcotic substance.
This is a bald face lie on the part of the fed
gov. Marijuana is psychologically habit
forming but not a physically addictive drug
like legal nicotine found in cigarettes. My
own experience with marijuana made it easy to
quit, since I concluded that it was an
anti-social experience and a vocabulary killer
due to the unredeemed time, sitting around
spaced-out. With nicotine in cigarettes, it
took me over five years to win the battle
against addition. Government is dependent on
massive tax revenues collected on addictive
dangerous nicotine products, no conflict of
interest here.
2. An appeal to medical science:
For general health and well-being, I agree
with the following two quotes:
“All that mankind needs for good health and
healing is provided by God in nature... the
challenge to science is to find it.”
Paracelsus, the father of Pharmacology
“Let your food be your medicine, let your
medicine be your food.” Hippocrates 320 BC
Paracelsus and Hippocrates are recognizing by
God's common grace that God created seed
bearing herbs for food and subsequent health.
The nutrition in plants and animals become the
raw material building blocks for new cells.
The key is using the rich phyto-nutrients and
chemicals in plants and proteins and nutrients
from the animal kingdom for the basic building
blocks for optimal cellular makeup.
To briefly elaborate on this; one of the ways
the structure and function of cells are
determined is by the nature of nutrition
supplied into the body. Plant chemicals and
nutrition from food sources are the raw
material that goes into the ongoing creation
of new cellular structures. For this process
to happen correctly you, need to have vital
essential nutrition in your body. Nutrition
when ingested in the body is broken down into
micronutrients, which become the building
blocks or parts used in the making of the
cells in your body.
All of the recognized groups of nutrition are
vital for improving cellular structure and
function by supporting the physiological
functions of repair, regeneration, and other
immune defense mechanisms of the body. In some
cases, the body needs special intake of plant
chemicals. What I am saying is that the body
repairs itself and nutrition provides the
molecules necessary to accomplish this. When
this happens, these are not a drug effects, it
is normal physiology, in other words the
biochemistry of the body is being changed
nutritionally and because of this I am not
claiming that nutritional products, herbals,
or other alternative pant chemicals treat
cure, or mitigate disease. Plant chemicals
work in the body similar to nutritional
intake. In short, when the body has the
correct nutrition supplied the structure of
the new cells will normal and they will
function correctly.
Our goal should be to improve the Structure
and Function of the cells in your body through
essential nutrition, or particular intake of
plant chemicals directed to assist the body
with special needs. When your cell structure
is normal, they will function correctly.
Then, we will not need to visit the doctor, or
take medicine. We will be healthy. I am a
Certified Nutritional Wellness Consultant
(GNWC) (DSHEA Certified, Diplomat in
Nutritional Education and Health).
“Science has shown that the body
can truly heal itself. Drugs do not heal nor
do dietary supplements. Proper nutrition gives
the body the resources to heal itself.” - Dr.
Roger Williams (Nutrition and Disease 1971)
Most people have heard of the phyto-chemical
in marijuana called THC,
(tetrahydrocannabinol) which gives the user a
high. Few people have heard of the
phyto-chemical CBD (cannabidiol). This
phyto-chemical is where much of the promising
research is happening in the field of
child-hood epilepsy, and other serious
conditions with medical marijuana. After
examining the information presented at the
above web presentations and sites, ask
yourself, what substance has more potential
health properties, cannabis, or alcohol?
Many desperate parents with epileptic children
are flocking to Colorado to obtain a special
strain of medical marijuana low in THC and
high in CBD that is having dramatic results
helping these children. It is called
“Charlotte’s Web” and named after Charlotte
who is featured in part one of Sanjay Gupta's
documentary. The Dr. Sanjay Gupta CNN Special
that tells Charlotte's story.
As the growing body of anecdotal stories of
miraculous cures continue to rise, along with
serious medical scientific research proving
the value of the cannabis sativa plant for
medical purposes, hopefully people will ask
the government to end its failed war against a
plant. I hope that the growing depository of
anecdotal stories of miraculous cures lead to
more research, including double blind placebo
studies. If these studies continue to prove
the effectiveness of cannabis to provide
various levels of benefit for a variety of
ailments, the moral thing to do is repeal
federal law against cannabis.
3. An appeal to the Constitution
What about the U.S. Constitution and drugs?
The Tenth Amendment states the Constitution's
principle of federalism by providing that
powers not granted to the federal government
by the Constitution, nor prohibited to the
States, are reserved to the States or the
people.
Consider the following from the Tenth
Amendment Center:
“Alcohol prohibition in the United States from
1919 to 1933 was supported by an actual
constitutional amendment. Modern drug
prohibition is not. This is an important point
because, unless something has drastically
changed, drug prohibition would also require a
Constitutional Amendment, ratified by the
States, to have any semblance of legitimacy.
Drug prohibition is simply a federal power
grab. It is an end-run around the
Constitutional Amendment process because such
an amendment would never pass. Therefore,
while social conservatives may believe that it
is perfectly reasonable for the Federal
Government to impose harsh criminal penalties
on what free citizens can put in their own
bodies, our Founders clearly disagreed.
Ron Paul also made the point that granting the
Federal Government the right to legislate what
free people can and cannot put into their
bodies when it comes to drug use would also
give the Federal Government the right to tell
us what we can and cannot eat, drink, or
otherwise consume. So, the same Conservatives
who decry Michelle Obama’s War on Trans-Fat
unwittingly support such Nanny-State
legislation by endorsing the War on Drugs.”
See more at
Cannabis sativa was known during the time of
the Constitutional convention, why did not the
framers ban it, if it is so evil? Freedom is a
scary thing to some. Christians do not have to
afraid of freedom. We are governed by God's
law and indwelling of the Holy Spirit. We are
able to make sound judgments such as the
apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians saying that all
things are not expedient.
Joel Miller is a Christian who
makes a powerful case for his thesis in his
thought provoking book. The book is endorsed
by Fox News senior legal analyst, Judge Andrew
Napolitano.
This book features the thoughts
of 115 experts on the subject of drug policy.
Included are the words of scientists, doctors,
cops, wardens, prosecutors, politicians,
authors, prisoners, patients, pastors, pot
providers and more. 340 pages of unvarnished
truth that will help bring an end to this
century of lies.
As seen from the valuable information at the
above two sites, prohibition has failed, and
can never possibly work. Marijuana is illegal,
yet it is readily available everywhere. What
been accomplished by the fed gov war on drugs?
Nothing, but loss of civil freedom and the
empowerment of the surveillance state and
corruption of the courts and law enforcement.
If you do not believe there has been a
corruption of law enforcement, you are living
on a different planet. How many innocent
people have been killed by militarized swat
teams in no-knock drug raids at the wrong
address?
The unintended consequences from modern
prohibition of marijuana has empowered the
violent Mexican drug cartels that make Al
Capone and his boys look like pikers. Capone
and the Mexican cartels were and are
businesspersons who are forced to operate
outside of the law. They cannot settle their
disputes in court, so they settle them with
violence. How many people have died from an
over dose of cannabis sativa? Can you cite a
number? In contrast, how many Mexican citizens
have been murdered by the drug cartels, which
are the result of this modern day debacle of
prohibition against a plant? Literally
thousands of Mexican citizens have died
because of an UN-constitutional failed drug
war.
As previously noted; over, 50 thousand people
die in automobile accidents every year? To put
things in another perspective, every year over
100 thousand people die from properly
prescribed prescription drugs, and many more
injured in medical malpractice cases. Around
50,000 people die each year from alcohol
poisoning and related problems like cirrhosis
of the liver. Similarly, more than 400,000
deaths each year are attributed to tobacco
smoking. By comparison, marijuana is nontoxic
and cannot cause death by overdose. In
contrast, problems from marijuana use is a
statistically insignificant number.
Unfortunately, some people who abuse alcohol
and drugs will become dependent and injure
themselves. As scary as freedom is to some
people, a nanny state is not the answer.
“This plea comes from the bottom of my heart.
Every friend of freedom, and I know you are
one, must be as revolted as I am by the
prospect of turning the United States into an
armed camp, by the vision of jails filled with
casual drug users and of an army of enforcers
empowered to invade the liberty of citizens on
slight evidence. A country in which shooting
down unidentified planes "on suspicion" can be
seriously considered as a drug-war tactic is
not the kind of United States that either you
or I want to hand on to future generations.” ―
Milton Friedman
The reader should consider the following
articles by conservative Christian columnist
Michelle Malkin to understand freedom versus
governmental control:
Hemp seeds contain all 10
essential amino acids as well as the essential
fatty acids our bodies need to survive but
cannot produce on their own. Hemp seed oil
contains more essential fatty acids than any
other nut or seed oil.
“The nine most terrifying words in the English
language are, I'm from the government and I'm
here to help.” - Ronald Reagan
“Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy
statutes.” (Psalm 119:12)
“Study to shew thyself approved
unto God, a workman that needeth not to be
ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
(2 Timothy 2:15)
Mr. Kettler has previously
published articles in the Chalcedon
Report and Contra
Mundum. He and his wife Marea attend the
Westminster, CO, RPCNA Church. He served as an
ordained ruling elder in the Orthodox
Presbyterian Church. He worked in and retired
from a fortune five hundred company in
corporate America after forty years. He runs
two blogs sites and is the author of the book
defending the Reformed Faith against attacks,
titled: The
Religion That Started in a Hat.
Available at:
http://www.thereligionthatstartedinahat.com/