As churchless as I am, after reading this TIME story I'm more open now to the possibility that God exists. Or at least, that I could worship God.
The idea for merging marijuana and ministry came through prayer, the couple said during testimony. They had been exposed to medical marijuana when a doctor recommended Lanette Davies’ daughter use it to alleviate symptoms from a bone disease and it “made her life livable,” she said.
Bryan Davies became a convert after finding it helped ease an arthritic condition that affects his spine. Trying to live on Social Security benefits and short on cash, Davies says he asked God for guidance. “I got on my knees, and I prayed to the Lord,” he told the court. “And God said … ‘Open up a pot shop.’”
Amen, brother.
I've been praying that Oregon will be one of the next states to legalize recreational marijuana. (We already have medical marijuana, along with dispensaries.) The New York Times says that Oregon and Alaska are the most likely states to do so this year.
It's nice to know that God is on the side of potheads. The Christian "Ganjapreneur" who is the subject of the TIME story offers up some perusasive theology is support of this.
The Davies’ use the Bible to reconcile selling marijuana with their faith, believing that cannabis was among the “seed-bearing plants” the book of Genesis says God gave man on the sixth day. “You’ve got to remember who created it,” Bryan said recently, shortly after the dispensary employees finished their daily 6 p.m. prayer.
Why don't you have any misgivings about Oregon becoming the next "potopia" likely to legalize recreational weed?
Personally, I think weed is detrimental when used habitually for recreational purposes, like most drugs. My wife calls it a "stupid pill" and some research bears that out showing that habitual weed smoking lowers your IQ. That being said, I know a few creative and productive people who smoke weed from dawn till dusk and then some.
Illegal weed laws are futile and money spent in enforcement and incarceration is a waste. People use it anyway and it is always widely available. So, it may as well be legal and regulated and taxed like alcohol. I get it. It's already legal big business in a number of states like Colorado. The tide will not be stemmed. It's here to stay for better or worse. No need for Mexican drug cartels to get rich off weed. It may as well be home grown Americans (pun intended).
I also acknowledge medical benefits but most of those benefits are accomplished better with prescription and over the counter drugs. Ibuprophen works much better than weed for the chronic back pain I have. And I was prescribed a medical marijuana card for that very back pain! But weed does put your head and body in a different place and that is relief for some people. For me, it isn't worth it. It is good for sex but I don't like dry eyes or the overly introspective aspects of the drug or forgetting where I put stuff or spacing out and forgetting to do stuff.. Also, on weed I am generally less co-ordinated especially with indica strains. I noticed that effect even way back in the 60's when surfing. I enjoyed myself but I spazzed out a lot. The mind body connection was not as good. Acid was far better for surfing in my case, but the body pays a high price for the acid high.
Anyway, as I have said before, it concerns me that there will be more weed impaired drivers on the road. I, for one, should not drive when fully baked on weed. But many will drive that way and they will make mistakes. I don't like that weed will be even more accessible to kids and that legalization will promote a mindset that another drug is fully acceptable in American society.
I guess it's not the legalization of weed per se that concerns me, but the potential for even greater widespread use does. Drugs have side effects and downsides. It will be an interesting social experiment to watch unfold, for better or worse.
Posted by: tucson | March 01, 2014 at 11:20 PM
One big problem with respect to driving under the influence of THC in states where weed is legal will be the establishment of a rational bottom-line measurement protocol for determining the amount of THC in a driver's blood stream at the time of questioning. You cannot collect a roadside blood or urine sample. Further complicating the matter is the fact that THC is stored in fatty tissue and takes many days or even weeks before THC levels are undetectable in urine. A driver could be found guilty of DUI if they smoked a joint and got into an accident a week after smoking it.
It's going to get interesting, for sure.
Posted by: Willie R | March 02, 2014 at 05:37 PM
Also, a person can be quite stoned on weed and still not show obvious signs of intoxicatiopn like drunks do. Unless the car is full of smoke or the smell of weed, there may be little evidence to a cop that the driver is impaired. Weed smokers can appear and act pretty normal. Cannabis/THC can be consumed in the form of candies, drinks, brownies and other edibles before driving commenced. So where are the legal grounds for requiring a drug test? Bloodshot eyes? An empty bag of Cheetos on the seat? Just because they blow a stop sign does not mean the driver is loaded, but it could.
Whoa, dude! You just blew that stop sign and the car coming the other way barely missed us!
Really? Far out man. That Afgan Kush is killer shit. We gotta get some more of that.
Posted by: tucson | March 03, 2014 at 07:33 PM