Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. Genesis 1:29
An Oklahoma state senator recently filed a petition to legalize marijuana in the state, telling supporters that the campaign is based on Genesis 1:29, which suggests that God created "this wonderful, miraculous plant." "We're putting forth Genesis 1:29 as the basis of this campaign," so said the senator to supporters at a gathering on the steps of the State Capitol in Oklahoma City. The senator went on to say... "God created this wonderful, miraculous plant and we know that it has been vilified for the last 100 years, and it's time to change that in Oklahoma." The legalization plan proposes to allow personal possession of up to one ounce of marijuana for recreational use, and three ounces for medical reasons. "It's just the right thing to do. It's a plant. It's a God given plant and it could change the world," so says the senator from Oklahoma. (likely this senator is already smoking “weed” for enlightenment)
The senator is of the opinion that taxing the sale of marijuana will create a windfall of new tax revenues for Oklahoma. No one will argue that point... like Colorado and Washington State, if the Okies legalize pot, tax revenues will skyrocket.
If you’re surprised that Oklahoma is riding the legalization bandwagon then the movement afoot in many conservative midwestern states to legalize marijuana will alarm you. The tide of legalization is growing more intense as each day passes. At this point, there are 22 states plus the District of Columbia, who have legalized marijuana in some form, mostly for medical purposes, but recreational legalization is coming quickly because that's the key to the tax windfall.
How long before every state has legalized weed for medical and recreational use? I am predicting within 5 years every state will have legalization on the books in some form. Proponents of drug legalization have aligned themselves with those in a position to sell their lies to the younger generation of Americans as a way to generate tax revenue, decriminalize use and possession and reduce the prison population, just to name a few of the arguments.
Should We Legalize Drugs? Those weary of the war on drugs have suggested that we should decriminalize drugs. Former Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders suggested we study the impact of legalizing drugs. For years, an alliance of liberals and libertarians have promoted the idea that legalizing drugs would reduce drug costs and drug crimes in this country. But would it? Let's look at some of the arguments for drug legalization. You decide if each argument is sound or twisted reasoning.
1. Legalization will take the profit out of the drug business. As surprising as it may sound, relatively few drug dealers actually earn huge sums of money. Most in the crack business are low-level runners who make very little money. Many crack dealers smoke more crack than they sell. Drug cartels are the ones making the big profits.
Would legalizing drugs really affect large drug dealers or drug cartels in any appreciable way? Drug cartels would still control price and supply even if drugs were legalized in this country. If government set the price for legalized drugs, criminals could undercut the price and supply whatever the government did not supply.
Addicts would not be significantly affected by legalization. Does anyone seriously believe that their behavior would change just because they are now using legal drugs instead of illegal drugs? They would still use theft and prostitution to get the cash needed to support their habits.
Proponents also argue that legalizing drugs would reduce the cost of drugs and thus reduce the supply of drugs flowing to this country. Recent history suggests that just the opposite will take place. When cocaine first hit the United States, it was expensive and difficult to obtain. But when more was dumped into this country and readily available in less expensive vials of crack, drug addiction rose and drug-related crimes rose. Is this argument SOUND or TWISTED?
2. Drug legalization will reduce drug use. Proponents argue that legalizing drugs will make them less appealing as they will no longer be "forbidden fruit." However, logic and social statistics suggest that decriminalizing drugs will actually increase drug use.
Those arguing for the legalization of drugs often point to Prohibition as a failed social experiment. But was it? When Prohibition was in effect, alcohol consumption declined by 30 to 50 percent and death from cirrhosis of the liver fell dramatically. One study found that suicides and drug-related arrests also declined by 50 percent. After the repeal of the 18th amendment in 1933, alcoholism rose dramatically. So did alcohol-related crimes and accidents. If anything, Prohibition proves the point that decriminalization increases use of dangerous substances.
Comparing alcohol and drugs actually strengthens the argument against legalization since many drugs are even more addictive than alcohol. Consider, for example, the difference between alcohol and cocaine. Alcohol has an addiction rate of approximately 10 percent, while cocaine has an addiction rate as high as 80 percent.
Many drugs are actually "gateway drugs" to other drugs. A 1992 article in The Journal of Primary Prevention found that marijuana is essentially a "necessary" condition for the occurrence of cocaine use. Other research shows that involvement with illicit drugs is a developmental phenomenon, age correlates with use, and cigarette and alcohol use precedes marijuana use.
Dr. Robert DuPont, former head of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, argues that the potential market for legal drugs can be compared to the number of Americans who now use alcohol (140 million persons). If his assumption is correct, then approximately 50 million Americans would eventually use cocaine if it were a legal drug.
But the real question is not, which is worse... alcohol or drugs? The question is whether we can accept both legalized alcohol and legalized drugs. Legalized alcohol currently leads to 100,000 deaths/year and costs $99 billion/year. Legalize marijuana, then what follows...? Is this argument SOUND or TWISTED?
3. Legalizing drugs will reduce social costs. "We are losing the war on drugs,” say drug legalization proponents, "so let's cut the costs of drug enforcement by decriminalizing drugs.”
Currently the U.S. spends $11 billion/year to combat drug-related crime. If drugs were made legal, some crime-fighting costs might drop but many social costs would certainly increase: other forms of crime (to support habits), drug-related accidents, and welfare costs.
Statistics from states that have decriminalized marijuana demonstrate this concern. In California, within the first six months of decriminalization, arrests for driving under the influence of drugs rose 46 percent for adults and 71.4 percent for juveniles. The use of marijuana doubled in Alaska and Oregon when it was decriminalized in those states.
Crime would certainly increase. Justice Department figures show that approximately one-third of inmates used drugs prior to committing their crimes. And juvenile crime would no doubt increase as well. A recent study published in the Journal of Drug Issues found a strong association between the severity of a crime and the type of substance used the more intoxicating the substance, the more serious the incident. Meanwhile, worker and student productivity would decrease.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) estimates that drug decriminalization will cost society more than alcohol and tobacco combined, perhaps $140-210 billion a year in lost productivity, healthcare costs and job-related accidents.
Government services would no doubt have to be expanded to pay for additional drug education and treatment for those addicted to legal drugs. And child protective services would no doubt have to expand to deal with child abuse. Patrick Murphy, a court-appointed lawyer for 31,000 abused and neglected children in Chicago, says that more than 80 percent of the cases of physical and sexual abuse of children now involve drugs. Legalizing of marijuana will not reduce these crimes, it would make the problem much worse.
Is it even accurate to say we are losing the war on drugs? Drug use in this country was on the decline in the 1980s due to a strong anti-drug campaign. Casual cocaine use, for example, dropped from 12 million in 1985 to 6 million by 1991. You don't win a war by surrender. Legalizing marijuana in this country would constitute surrender in the drug war at a time when we have substantial evidence we can win this battle on a number of fronts. Is this argument SOUND or TWISTED?
4. Government should not dictate moral policy on drugs. Libertarians who promote drug legalization value personal freedom. They believe that government should not dictate morals and fear that our civil liberties may be threatened by a tougher policy against drugs.
The true threat to our freedoms comes from the drug cartels in foreign countries, drug lords in this country, and drug dealers in our streets. Legalizing marijuana would send the wrong message to society. Those involved in drug use eventually see that drugs ultimately lead to prison or death, so they begin to seek help.
Obviously some people are going to use drugs whether they are legal or illegal. Keeping drugs illegal maintains criminal sanctions that persuade most people their life is best lived without drugs. Legalization, on the other hand, removes the incentive to stay away from drugs and increases drug use.
William Bennett has said, "I didn't have to become drug czar to be opposed to legalized marijuana. As Secretary of Education I realized that, given the state of American education, the last thing we needed was a policy that made widely available a substance that impairs memory, concentration, and attention span. Why in God's name foster the use of a drug that makes you stupid?" Is this argument SOUND or TWISTED?
It’s up to every peace loving American to voice our concerns loudly... against decriminalization and legalization of marijuana. The change starts with weed, but where will it end?
Over the years we have witnessed a slow but progressive change in what is acceptable to society. “The social norms” have become more and more open and less and less restrictive, especially among our young people. Provocative dress, x-rated lyrics, computer porn, disrespect for parents and elders, teenage pregnancy, underage drinking and even recreational use of drugs like marijuana and the growing epidemic of heroin have become more and more acceptable.
This behavior is often ignored because it’s easier to just “go with the flow” than to put up a fight. We have allowed this to happen by our inattention and complacency and as a result our children have accepted these views as well. The problem here is our children and other young people will inherit this country and will assume positions of power in our federal, state and local government and will soon be the law and policy makers who shape the future of our nation.
Winning this battle starts at home, around the dinner table in conversation with your teens about the dangers of drugs of any type. And yes, the Church must take a strong leadership position in opposition to any form of legalization. Parents... you need to be deeply involved in your kids lives. Maybe that means learning to say “no” more than you say “yes” to their peer-pressure driven queries voiced in questions like... “what’s better alcohol or marijuana?”
Teens know they can get their parents to agree to most anything if they just ask, ask, and ask repeatedly. They say that parents will eventually give in to their demands with very little fight. Proponents of marijuana legalization are experts at using this same type of tactic. They will ask and ask, argue, and push until our legislators and the general public give in, little by little they get what they want, slowly but surely, if we let it happen.
I know for some readers, quoting Scripture at this point might turn you off... but I’m going to do it anyway. God has an adversary... Satan the Devil. The Devil could care less for the welfare of humanity. He only seeks to hurt and destroy, he is on a scorched earth campaign to ruin everything and everyone before God finally puts an end to the misery he has brought to humanity. God’s Word has warned us about the “real” power behind these things that man seeks to do in the name of improving society...
1 Peter 5:8 says… Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. James 4:7 says… Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
The argument and reasoning offered by the Oklahoma State Senator in this articles introduction is ridiculous! Yes, everything God created is good, and that includes hemp or marijuana. That said, all these good things can be turned into evil purpose influenced by those who either misuse, misquote or are outright ignorant of God’s Word. Poisonous mushrooms are good for breaking down dead wood, but bad for eating. Hemp is good for making rope, but bad for smoking and ingesting... for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking [and smoking pot], but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17)
