Canabis Prohibition

[Stone holm]

Watching the flood tide of States moving towards legalization of marijuana and wondering if the Church will go political on this one or stay out of the culture war.

[ERayR]

Watching the flood tide of States moving towards legalization of marijuana and wondering if the Church will go political on this one or stay out of the culture war.

 

Culture war is what the Church is about.

[tonie]

23 States permit medical marijuana, which include 4 western states with large LDS populations. I do not recall hearing anything from the Church against it.

[Bikeemikey]

Doesn't seem to have stirred much institutional interest from the church as far as I have noticed.

[thesometimesaint]

Used with skill and training Marijuana can be used to treat some medical conditions such as lack of appetite in cancer treatment patients. It is the recreational use of drugs, including alcohol, that is the problem. As a function of law I see the US classification of marijuana as a class A drug. Add in the subsequent over prosecution of the drug users is a bigger problem than the actual psycho-physical effects of the drug warrant. That being said the stuff isn't good for you, and just because something is legal doesn't mean you should do it.

[Stargazer]

Here in Washington recreational marijuana use has been completely legalized.  There were some hoots of rage/fear from certain conservatives, but before the election with the referendum, nothing about the issue was said over the pulpit, in PH or RS (as far as our stake is concerned), and afterwards you could have heard a pin drop about the subject, too.

 

My wife and I both voted in favor of legalization, but for technical/legal reasons, not because we wanna toke.  Interestingly, to the best of my knowledge, not one of my inactive adult children have been taking advantage of the new freedom, and in fact I have seen virtually NO marijauna use in public -- whereas before legalization I used to see it once in a while.

Edited August 3, 2014 by Stargazer

[wenglund]

Watching the flood tide of States moving towards legalization of marijuana and wondering if the Church will go political on this one or stay out of the culture war.

 

To my knowledge the Church as an institution hasn't been all that involved in the anti-smoking campaign either, not because it tends to be a liberal/Democrat agenda (which seems ironic since liberals seem also to support legalizing marijuana--maybe they just favor legalizing eating and not smoking marijuana), but because it doesn't so much impact foundational beliefs of the Church and the Church's ability to exercise its faith. The same applies in principle to legalizing marijuana.

 

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

Edited August 3, 2014 by wenglund

[thesometimesaint]

To my knowledge the Church as an institution hasn't been all that involved in the anti-smoking campaign either, not because it tends to be a liberal/Democrat agenda (which seems ironic since liberals seem also to support legalizing marijuana--maybe they just favor legalizing eating and not smoking marijuana), but because it doesn't so much impact foundational beliefs of the Church and the Church's ability to exercise its faith. The same applies in principle to legalizing marijuana.

 

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

 

This is not a Liberal Democrat v Conservative Republican issue. Marijuana use in the US is very close to equal in Whites and Blacks. Yet 4 times more Blacks are incarcerated for its use than Whites.

[wenglund]

This is not a Liberal Democrat v Conservative Republican issue. Marijuana use in the US is very close to equal in Whites and Blacks. Yet 4 times more Blacks are incarcerated for its use than Whites.

 

A much higher persentage of liberals and Democrates support legalizing marijuana than do conservatives and Republicans. (See HERE)

 

Nevertheless, your comment doesn't speak to the thrust of my point, and so I have no clue why you are telling me this.

 

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

[thesometimesaint]

A much higher persentage of liberals and Democrates support legalizing marijuana than do conservatives and Republicans. (See HERE)

 

Nevertheless, your comment doesn't speak to the thrust of my point, and so I have no clue why you are telling me this.

 

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

 

Please do not conflate social acceptance, and legalization in drug use choice.

[wenglund]

Please do not conflate social acceptance, and legalization in drug use choice.

 

Not that your plea is warranted in my case (I made no mention of "social acceptance," but of legalization/decriminalization, which the linked article confirms) please clue in to the simple and obvious principle that in democratic societies legalization tends to trend fairly closely to social acceptance--though, again, this doesn't speak to the thrust of my comment, and so I am still puzzled why you are telling me this.

 

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

[VideoGameJunkie]

I think the church should take a stand against cannabis and remind members of the word of wisdom.

[thesometimesaint]

I think the church should take a stand against cannabis and remind members of the word of wisdom.

 

The WoW is a mixed bag when it comes to cannabis sativa. It prefers the use of herbs for ailments in both man and animal. By the same token it requires the use of skill and judgement in treating those ailments. OTOH Nowhere does it recommend the recreational use of any herb or drug.

[BCSpace]

23 States permit medical marijuana, which include 4 western states with large LDS populations. I do not recall hearing anything from the Church against it.

 

The counsel we were given is to be very careful if someone claims medical use as it is well known that most people agitating for it's legalization don't need it medically.  Recreational use is as much a violation of the WoW as it was in the past.

 

Culture war is what the Church is about.

 

Indeed.  Trying to divorce the Church from culture or politics etc. is like saying the Church should not exist.

[ksfisher]

The counsel we were given is to be very careful if someone claims medical use as it is well known that most people agitating for it's legalization don't need it medically.  Recreational use is as much a violation of the WoW as it was in the past.

 

 

Indeed.  Trying to divorce the Church from culture or politics etc. is like saying the Church should not exist.

 

In a training course I had a few years ago a police officer related that 90% of the marijuana prescriptions that had been issued in Californian were to 20 to 30 year olds for chronic pain.

[Stone holm]

I am not sure it is a liberal conservative issue either, in fact, anecdotally I tend to run into about as many liberals who oppose it as conservatives. Many liberals out here are associated with not for profits that are as involved in telling people how to run their lives the conservatives. The Church, however, was once a supporter of Prohibition and leaders still argued for it as it was repealed. But, I have not seen the Church take much interest in it. My personal feeling is to favor legalization, and I don't think it should matter whether it is for medical reasons or just for fun, given it is less detrimental than either alcohol or tobacco. But,I agree that even if it is completely legalized it will probably fall crosswise with the WOW.

[VideoGameJunkie]

It will eventually get legalized in every state, I feel. It seems to be on that path.

[Kenngo1969]

In a training course I had a few years ago a police officer related that 90% of the marijuana prescriptions that had been issued in Californian were to 20 to 30 year olds for chronic pain.

Wow! Them young Califor-ni-a-uns is in a lot of pain, they is, they is!

[Kenngo1969]

It will eventually get legalized in every state, I feel. It seems to be on that path.

Hell will freeze over in Utah first.   From a legal standpoint, drug legalization is very different than the issue of gay marriage.

 

For more of my views on the subject, see here: http://greatgourdini.wordpress.com/2014/01/18/on-medicinal-marijuana/

 

P.S.: From what I understand, even in states where marijuana is legal, there are still limits on how much one may legally possess.  And if I were prosecuting drug crime and a report regarding drug use came across my desk, I would say, "Here's the deal: go into treatment and give me your dealer."  And if a report regarding drug dealing came across my desk, I would say, "You want me to reduce your charges, fine: give me your supplier."

Edited August 4, 2014 by Kenngo1969

[rpn]

Arianna Huffington wrote something useful about this recently.  (surprise, surprise).  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/this-is-your-brain-on-legal-drugs_b_5628610.html

 

I think we have wasted enough on the drug war and gotten way too much violence.    It is time to highly regulate and internally grow marijuana to cut out the purpose of a drug warlord middle man.   But we must do it consistent with the science that warns that there is significant danger to those under age 24 both of permanent cognitive harm, and addiction.   So the regulations need to assure that we aren't selling marijuana in ways that allow children and young adults to get it.

 

I think I would ban its presence and use in cars, the public, commercial establishments and in homes where children reside.  I  would require that each transaction be recorded with photo and recognition software so that who is getting it can be established, and under aged transactions would shut down the business.   And if people sold or delivered outside the regulated establishments or to those under age 24, I would forfeit something that mattered to them AND require them to spend time on a public work detail.  I think there should be some tag required in each grown or manufactured product so you could trace its entire pathway.

 

And I would require that the licensing fees for marijuana and heroin and cocaine be high enough to pay for extensive advertising about what the science says and strong youth education and work and mental health and recreation programs so that kids are busy doing good things and not so susceptible to the drugs.

[Kenngo1969]

Here in Washington recreational marijuana use has been completely legalized.  There were some hoots of rage/fear from certain conservatives, but before the election with the referendum, nothing about the issue was said over the pulpit, in PH or RS (as far as our stake is concerned), and afterwards you could have heard a pin drop about the subject, too.

 

My wife and I both voted in favor of legalization, but for technical/legal reasons, not because we wanna toke.  Interestingly, to the best of my knowledge, not one of my inactive adult children have been taking advantage of the new freedom, and in fact I have seen virtually NO marijauna use in public -- whereas before legalization I used to see it once in a while.

I could be wrong, but, from what I have seen, the situation seems to be much different in Colorado.

[VideoGameJunkie]

Here in Mass we passed medical marijuana, but no shops have opened up yet.

[guerreiro9]

Watching the flood tide of States moving towards legalization of marijuana and wondering if the Church will go political on this one or stay out of the culture war.

If tax benefits and favored status were proposed for marijuana users I think the Church would go to war.

-guerreiro9

[Stargazer]

I could be wrong, but, from what I have seen, the situation seems to be much different in Colorado.

 

Either that or I don't hang around in the right places.

[Stone holm]

If tax benefits and favored status were proposed for marijuana users I think the Church would go to war.

-guerreiro9

Trying to understand this comment.