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Mormons, Marijuana & The Word Of Wisdom - Page 2

My 2 cents is that marijuana is just like any other drug it has some use I guess but I don't know exactly for it. There are more strong medications that people use that have more potency than marijuana and they're not breaking the word of wisdom.

Wisdom Word and Marijuana Mormons

Name: Roger

Comments: To the original poster asking about help talking with your friend using marijuana, I think it's good you're not taking the "holier than thou" attitude, but at the same time it is unacceptable to justify illegal drug use. As a pharmacy student in Northern California I can assure everyone that marijuana is illegal in all 50 states despite current CA law. The federal law takes precedence over any state laws based on the Commerce clause of the US Constitution. That means that any item of commerce that is traded over state lines, including illegal commerce, is under federal jurisdiction no matter what contradictory state laws may exist. Yes, CA has basically decriminalized it's use, but all the card/prescriptions for marijuana use are not legal in any state. My reference for this is from the licensed pharmacist with a law degree who taught the pharm law class I took last year. As for the active ingredient of marijuana, it is already FDA approved in a drug that goes by the name Marinol / Dronabinol, but it isn't highly sought after by patients or doctors when compared to marijuana. Why that is, I can only speculate.

When talking to your friend find out if he/she has a testimony of why we came to earth (in part to gain a physical body) and about the New Testament scripture that says our bodies are Temples for the Spirit of God. I'm not proposing for him to take any particular SSRI (a class of antidepressants) or any other substance because that would be inappropriate with the little info I know about him/her, but once someone understands and has a testimony of the importance of our bodies the desire to use illegal substances will likely take a different tone.

I've never agreed with the idea that difficulties in life, including disease and sickness, are excuses to disobey any gospel principle.

Mormons, Marijuana & The Word Of Wisdom Studies Doctrine Mormon

I think it's interesting that everybody seems to be so anti-marijuana, claiming it violates the word of wisdom. Well, the right question would be, what verse does it violate? Please don't get me wrong, I'm neither saying it's right nor that it's sinful to use marijuana, I'm just posing the question: if we say it's violating the word of wisdom, what part is it violating? I heard people answer me something like "well, it's not mentioned here because they didn't use it back then." That's not correct, as for example Thomas Jefferson himself was acquainted with this drug.

"It's not against the letter of the law, but against the spirit of the law" -> what spirit specifically? I often hear that we are not allowed to use "mind-altering drugs" because it violates the word of wisdom. This is not part of the word of wisdom, it's a very personal interpretation by men trying to find something in common between the things proscribed by the WoW. I used "stupamax" (I only remember the nickname, not the real name of the drug, 'twas a while ago...) and Keppra against my epilepsy, and boy I was high as a kite on that stuff. It wasn't against the word of wisdom according to church authorities. But let's get back to the matter at hand.

Is marijuana ok? well, let's examine the evidence. The closest reference I can find in the word of wisdom (being defined as section 89 of the Doctrine and Covenants as published by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, at Salt Lake City, UT in 1981) is the term "herbs." Marijuana is an "herb." Interestingly, the WoW strongly encourages the use of herbs, and if we peruse the pages of the Journal of Discourses we see the early prophets clearly condemning "modern medicine" and urging the use of "herbs" for healing. "All wholesome herbs" and "every herb in the season thereof" are we encouraged to use (v. 10, 11). Even the things which are forbidden in the Word of Wisdom are not really forbidden, but are only limited in their lawful use (liquor for cleaning, tobacco as a remedy for wounds, wine for sacrament, etc.). Why? Because God created this world filled with wholesome herbs which are beneficial for men. We abuse herbs only if we use them contrary to God's plan. We abuse hard liquor by drinking it, instead of using it for the medicinal purpose God has created it. I believe this to be true of all things occuring naturally. From the way I read the WoW, I cannot see why a medical use of marijuana should be forbidden. God created it for a purpose in my mind.

And about it being so dangerous, ironically the UK Medical Journal "The Lancet" ranks Marijuana as one of the least dangerous drugs, less dangerous to both health and dependability on the drug than both tobacco and alcohol (see wikipedia, "marijuana" -> "effects"). But alcohol is used extensively in most medicines. Do we say it's a violation of the WoW because we use cough syrup which has alcohol in it? Or use natural medicines containing healthy plant extracts preserved in alcohol? Or homeopathic medicines? At least the last two we have been encouraged to use over modern chemical medicine, at least in the earlier part of the 19th century despite their high alcohol content. Why? Because this is a correct application of the drug alcohol, as opposed to it's use as a method of getting drunk, or "high".

How then can you morally condemn the medical marijuana user?

Page 2 Wisdom Word and Marijuana Mormons

Why must it be a verse? Its been long known that harmful drugs are not to be used. Our leaders have written and spoken about this for years.

Wisdom Word and Marijuana Mormons

Nice rationalization OldSouth but you're well aware that our prophets have spoken against the use of harmful drugs. If marijuana was not harmful people would not be going to jail for possession.

Let's be humble and listen to our leaders, they're the mouthpieces of the Lord on Earth.

Mormons, Marijuana & The Word Of Wisdom

People can also go to jail for possession of legal prescription drugs if they are held by people without a prescription so I don't consider there being a federal law against it a good measure of it's morality. Federal law also allows sodomy, which is not morally correct.

So let's get back to the "harmful drug" part. Yes, marijuana can be harmful. Meat can be harmful. Sugar can be harmful. Aspirin can kill you. In fact, an overdose of Vitamin C can be deadly (though it'd be very difficult to actually ingest enough Vitamin C for it to turn out deadly because of the high concetration needed). So what is our standard? Yes, truly, our leaders counceled us against the use of marijuana and other drugs. Did they say "no matter how healthy or positive for you, these plants were made by the devil for the children of the devil; they have no use by the LORD and should all be destroyed"? No, we were rather told not to abuse them. Smoking weed to get high is an abuse of the cannabis sativa plant. So is the extraction of Morphin from the opium plant to achieve being high. Did you know that opium was in very common use amongst doctors against pain for a very long time? Do you think this meant that people who were given morphine for pain management or sedation were actually violating the word of wisdom and sinners?

It's not the use of the plant that is wrong, it's how you use it.

Mormons Marijuana & Word Wisdom - Page 2

I tend to agree with OldSouth. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the plant the problem is that people use it (abuse it) for the wrong purposes instead of using it for medical purposes. I think if used properly it doesn't violate the WoW.

Mormons Marijuana & Word Wisdom Mormon Doctrine Studies - Page 2

Name: Nick

Comments: As a side note to all the above posts, it is interesting to remember that our religion is a World Wide Religion. Not just one that is for the United States alone. If you remember, our good friend Canada is within our religion. In Canada, one can go and smoke marijuana easily in a public pub or whatnot simply because it is legalized.

Now, we are counseled that in the Garden of Eden, that there were many plants and animals and of course Adam and Eve. When Adam and Eve went against God's command and sinned they were cast out. God, then brought forth weeds, thistles, and such. Marijuana is what we all like to call "weed." Why is it called weed? Simply because it is a weed that grows.

We are also taught that all things are meant to be used for our benefits. Of course we can abuse that's counsel. Tobacco is a plant that isn't good for us in the least bit. However, it is useful for removing bee stings. I don't believe that medical marijuana would ever be approved by the church. Just like caffeine, no where in the Word of Wisdom does it say that we can or can not drink things with caffeine in it. The General Authority hasn't really told us one way or another if it is or isn't against the Word of Wisdom. I do know that marijuana is a drug that can screw people up pretty bad. Hopefully someday the General Authority will tell us that it's not okay to use. That being said, it still won't stop people.