Coming from someone who has had extensive experience with marijuana in their life, I feel it's only necessary I put in my two cents. I'm currently working for Mental Health and Substance Abuse programs, also my background revolved heavily around the use of marijuana from childhood well into adulthood. From a family that grew up with marijuana as part of an everyday recreational use, I can attest to the pros and cons.
Marijuana like anything else, depends solely upon the user. That being said, the New England Journal of Medicine has done a study on the affects of marijuana and it's influence on minors, and young adults (adolescence). From personal experience again, I back the claims made. Marijuana in itself isn't a self-defeating evil that makes you do anything, God gave us that thing called "free will" and as humans we can be easily swayed by our environments and what we are exposed to, especially and at a young and impressionable age. It's been said, and I have witnessed that adolescent children who begin smoking this plant regularly from age 11 into early adulthood indeed do more harm than good to their frontal cortex, or the part of the brain responsible for judgement and reasoning, and with like anything it becomes addicting when used often for that long of a period of time. Witnessing my younger brother do just this, I watched as a young brilliant and creative mind (he still is by the way), has become obsessed with this plant and lacks the motivation to want to do much more than smoke. Now this won't be the same for all people, but out of my family of smokers from a young age into adulthood one out of 6 of us graduated high school, take a guess?
I love my family very much, and when I was 21 decided that it would be a good idea for me to see what was so great about this plant that my family smoked it as often as people would smoke a cigarette or even more. So I delved against my better judgement into this world and for the next two years, became heavily into the whole pot smoking stoner phase, and don't get me wrong, it seemed like it was fun for a while, but the real problem here, is that I did not know my limits.
Instead of being level headed and keeping my focus on God's plan for me, I drifted effortlessly into the environment around me, and why wouldn't I? It was family after all... However, it wasn't until a very restless night that God had made it known to me about my new found addiction to what my relationship would continue to be if I didn't stop this lifestyle. I day dreamed, or had a vision (whatever you want to call it). That evening as my brother and I were driving home we came to a stop at a stop sign and I jumped out of the car, wracked with pain in my head like a violent vibration, and that's when mentally I wasn't there... I looked around and saw only darkness, but could feel an illuminating presence behind me. Immediately I knew what that was, I turned to see a man in white flowing robes, bronze like complexion and lighting eyes with long brown hair standing with his back to me. I prostrated myself before Jesus and cried out "I'm sorry, I know what I have done, please forgive me Lord..." His answer was a swift sting and reminder to if I continued to live this life what would become of me; His reply was "I don't know you."
The message was quite clear, I had given into my sin and become that which I opposed. Now listening to God for the first time in nearly 2 years, not more than 4 months later without anything planned, I grabbed my things, left my current job and moved 500 miles away with no family in sight. I do not blame my family for what happened, I only blame myself for not listening while God was continually telling me "My glory cannot be shown through you like this." So, marijuana? I'm not opposed to the idea that it has it's benefits and can be a nice quick release from every day stress, but if you want a real cure turn to God, don't let His glory be replaced with anything else. It's not the plant, it's the individual. Some people can drink, others cannot, some people may be able to smoke, others may not. Know yourself, and know what God requires of you. As for me and my house we will serve the Lord. God bless you all, and never give up, the world has already been defeated, and our Savior is alive and well.
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