Religious Drug Use Ok, Medicinal...Not So Much

I find it hard to believe that some religious people can get away with using illegal drugs while cancer patients who use marijuana for relief of nausea get charged and convicted. Medicinal marijuana use is illegal in the US while in Canada, it is not. The debates still rage among medical professionals and scientists as to whether marijuana is more harmful or beneficial to cancer patients, those with glaucoma, AIDS, MS, etc. Still, I think that people suffering from these diseases should be allowed to decide themselves whether to use marijuana or not. If it helps some people ease their suffering, why not let them? Marijuana, in my opinion, is no worse than alcohol. In fact, I believe that alcohol is far worse and far more damaging to our society than marijuana ever will be. And if you are one of those people who believe that marijuana is a gateway drug, then you'd be wrong and it would do you good to do some research.

It is more than a stretch to say that the legalization of marijuana would lead to legalization of cocaine or heroin; it's a bloody leap.

Among Christians in the US, opinion seems to be divided on the whole issue of marijuana legalization. Both sides can point to passages in the Bible to support their stands. But is this really the best way to decide whether to legalize marijuana? I think not. The Bible is notorious for contradictions and by using it to decide whether something should be legal or not in the 21st century is absurd. Killing disrespecting children is condoned in the Bible; it's actually the proper punishment. So, should we look to the Old Testament to decide what is allowable here and now? The New Testament, perhaps? How about neither?

The Bible is not the moral law of the United States, though many would like it to be, and as such it should have no bearing deciding the legality of anything. Religion just muddles things up.