Monday, May 26, 2014
Marijuana is gateway drug for many — not all — users
A recent letter (“Debunking marijuana myths and belief cigarettes are safer”) is filled with inaccuracies and misquotes. The letter was in response to one that said that many — not all — users go on to harder drugs. Some people are stronger than others, but the strong are to protect the weak from themselves and those who would do them harm by allowing them to take drugs that can harm or even kill them. Even doctors know that they must first do no harm.
All the statistics in the world cannot change the fact that people who try marijuana also try other drugs and that many go on to addiction and death. Personal experience shows that this is true and the writer cannot possibly know that most marijuana smokers lead productive, successful lives. I have never heard a testimony where someone said that marijuana led them to success in their life, but I have heard many testimonies of those who have been damaged by smoking marijuana.
Having lived in New York for over 40 years and spoken to those in the parks and streets of New York for as many years, I have seen with my own eyes the devastating effects of smoking marijuana. Most went on to harder drugs and most are not alive today.
Marijuana destroys the lungs just as smoking cigarettes does, and no one has ever said that it is better to smoke cigarettes than marijuana. Both are destructive to the body, and God gave us bodies to glorify Him not to destroy them. I would encourage everyone to read the Bible which tells us that God will destroy all those who destroy the body, which was made in the image of the immortal, all powerful God.
We are to help those addicted to all these substances to be free from their addiction, not to make excuses for them to continue down their destructive path. Any beneficial medicine that can be made from marijuana would not contain the addictive substance that people just use to get high because they are not mature enough to deal with the strains and stresses of life without some drug or another to help them.
Leo Feher, Youngstown