More States getting closer to marijuana ‘legalization’

Short-term bodily effects of marijuana, Cannibis sativa

More States in the USA are considering ‘legalizing’ marijuana:

November 1, 2016

The momentum toward marijuana legalization — already accelerated this year by a raft of state ballot measures — could get an even bigger boost if Democrats win control of the Senate.

That’s partly because the controlling party will choose the chairman of the committee that determines whether a sweeping marijuana proposal advances or dies. …

The Obama administration tried to reassure banks in 2014 that they would not be prosecuted for working with legal businesses. But it did not grant them immunity to prosecution and civil penalties. Though some banks have found ways to work around federal restrictions, the majority still avoid the industry.

Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, the Banking Committee’s top Democrat, has expressed reservations on marijuana-related issues in the past, but he said last year that he supported legalized medical marijuana. (Ohio legalized medical marijuana in September.)

And Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, the ranking Democrat on the Finance Committee, sponsored bills this term that would make it easier for marijuana-related businesses to advertise and to take tax deductions.

A turning point?

But that’s not the only reason marijuana advocates are calling the 2016 election a pivotal one.

“For those of us who are crusading [for] the end of this failed prohibition of marijuana, this could well be the turning point,” said Oregon Democratic Rep. Earl Blumenauer, who was campaigning in Arizona for that state’s marijuana ballot measure.

Dozens of marijuana-related bills in the House and Senate could get a better reception in the coming Congress, regardless of which party controls the Senate and House, advocates say.

Five states, including the political bellwether of California, will vote to allow adult recreational use, potentially bringing to nine the total of states with full legalization plus the District of Columbia, and potentially bringing the percentage of Americans living in states where pot use is legal to as much as 25 percent from 5 percent.

An additional four states will consider medical use this election. At present, more than two dozen states allow it. A Gallup poll released this month showed a record high of 60 percent of Americans support marijuana legalization.

“What happens with these nine states on the 8th could propel a breakthrough in Congress and its going to be a huge signal to the other folks around the country,” Blumenauer said. http://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/marijuana-legalization-get-boost-democrat-controlled-senate

Marijuana use among USA adults is reportedly rising:

August 9, 2016

Thirteen percent of adults surveyed by Gallup last month said they currently smoke pot, up from 7 percent only three years earlier. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/aug/9/marijuana-use-among-adults-now-13-percent-report/

Yet, marijuana use is dangerous. Notice the following:

October 31, 2016

As far as legalizing recreational marijuana goes, I do think that the epidemiological, human laboratory and animal laboratory data has some relevance to the Prop 64 issues. So, I’m going to list a few facts.

1) Marijuana is addictive. Full stop. The conditional probability of dependence is about 9% where like-to-like comparisons put cocaine and methamphetamine at 15%, heroin at 25-45% (data are terrible) and alcohol at 4%. Alcohol is a huge problem because 85%+ of people consume it at least annually. In contrast, less than 1% of people have ever tried heroin, 0.4% in the past year. Marijuana comes in at about 32% annual prevalence for ages 19-28. The scope of the addiction issue depends on how many people are using it, obviously. This will go up with legalization- but we don’t have any idea how much.

2) 5-6% of high-school seniors use Marijuana daily. Daily. That’s the US average. I don’t have numbers for California. http://www.monitoringthefuture.org/data/15data/15drfig4.pdf

3) Marijuana addiction is as “real” as any other. Frequency of withdrawal symptoms and severity of those symptoms were compared between marijuana and tobacco smokers and the data were nearly indistinguishable. Most people are much more familiar with nicotine dependency (which is a higher rate, btw, probably 33%+) since it is more common, not embarrassing to discuss in public and is conventionally recognized. A lack of personal familiarity with the scope of withdrawal in the people who are marijuana dependent doesn’t mean that it doesn’t exist.

4) There is no such thing as “psychological” versus “physical” dependence since the brain is part of the body and the mind is the functioning of the brain. Keep in mind that people can be months to years out from their last use of any drug and still relapse severely. This is not being driven by the withdrawal symptoms that most everyone recognizes when they talk about “physical” dependence.

5) Marijuana acutely impairs cognitive and other behavioral functions.

6) Behavioral tolerance with chronic exposure is substantial. Blood levels of THC in animals or humans are a poorer proxy for impairment (versus other drugs) if you do not know anything about the prior exposure history.

7) THC is detectable in the body for a very long time compared with many other drugs of abuse. One study found detectable THC, or one of the main metabolites, for 30 days of in patient study (chronic users).

8} Trying to make specific predictions about an individual who uses marijuana from general findings (there is always a central tendency or average around which the distribution of data points or individual outcomes varies) is a fools’ errand. We can only predict general trends. Conversely, and this is important for your personal introspection, the evidence from one given data point or individual doesn’t tell us much that is informative about the average trend. The fact that it is your personal experience does not make it more valid. http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidkroll/2016/10/31/californias-proposition-64-a-drug-abuse-researcher-gives-8-marijuana-facts-to-consider-when-voting/#5a11ffaf17ae

Despite the dangers, more USA states are legalizing it (see 11 more states in USA considered likely to ‘legalize’ marijuana)–and more and more American adults admit to at least trying it. Also, the Prime Minister of Canada wants to legalize it there (see Justin Trudeau wins–What’s ahead for Canada?; see also Canada aims for pot legalization in 2017 – USA Today). Because of changes by the current US President, the marijuana business has been able to expand more rapidly than it otherwise would have.

12 As for My people, children are their oppressors, And women rule over them. O My people! Those who lead you cause you to err, And destroy the way of your paths. (Isaiah 3:12)

16 For the leaders of this people cause them to err, And those who are led by them are destroyed (Isaiah 9:16).

Inhaling or ingesting marijuana basically makes someone drunk.

The Bible repeatedly condemns drunkenness and activities associated with it:

18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18)

21 For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty (Proverbs 23:21)

11 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner — not even to eat with such a person. (1 Corinthians 5:11)

9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)

13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. (Romans 13:13-14)

Becoming intoxicated by marijuana is sinful and not something that Christians should do.

One argument for the legalization of marijuana is financial. Various governments believe that legalization will reduce law-enforcement costs and generate revenue. The fact that more people will get high and cause other problems is irrelevant to many.

Of course, the Bible warns:

10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. (1 Timothy 6:10)

It is partially because of selfish ‘love of money’ that more are supporting the marijuana legalization agenda.

The increased acceptance of marijuana is not good. There are more problems with marijuana than many wish to accept.

Some items of possibly related interest include:

Marijuana: Should a Christian Get High? There is increasing acceptance of the use of marijuana. How should Christians view this? Here is a related video titled How Should a Christian View Marijuana?
Should Christians Smoke? Is smoking a sin? What does the Bible teach? What have COG leaders written? Can smokers change? What about marijuana?
Just What Do You Mean — Repentance? Do you know what repentance is? Have you truly repented? Repented of what? Herbert W. Armstrong wrote this as a booklet on this important subject.
When You Sin: Do You Really Repent? This is an article by Charles F. Hunting. A related sermon is Confess to God and truly repent.
Living as a Christian: How and Why? In what ways do Christians live differently than others. What about praying, fasting, tithing, holy days, and the world? There is also a YouTube video related to that also called: Living as a Christian: How and Why?
Who Was Herbert W. Armstrong? How is He Viewed Today? Includes quotes from the 1973 edition of The Autobiography of Herbert W. Armstrong and explains how he is and should be viewed today.
Overcoming Sin What is sin? How are Christians suppose to overcome it? Here is also a link to a video titled How to Overcome Sin.
How to Prevent Sin This is an article by Herbert W. Armstrong.
Just What Do You Mean Conversion? Many think that they are converted Christians. But are they? Would you like to know more about conversion. Herbert W. Armstrong wrote this as a booklet on this important subject.
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Saxon (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo-Saxon nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. Information is also in the YouTube sermons titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter? and British are the Covenant People. A short YouTube of prophetic interest may be Barack Obama and the State of the Apocalypse.
Will the Anglo-Saxon Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Serán divididas las naciones anglosajonas?
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Edition for Second Obama Term This is a 160 page book for people truly interested in prophecies related to Barack Obama and the United States, including learning about many that have already been fulfilled (which the book documents in detail) and those that will be fulfilled in the future. It also has a chapter about a Republican choice. This book is available to order at www.barackobamaprophecy.com. The physical book can also be purchased at Amazon from the following link: Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States: Is Barack Obama Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic Catholic, Kenyan, and other America-Related Prophecies? What About Republican Leaders? Second Edition for Second Obama Term.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Term-Amazon Kindle edition. This electronic version is available for only US$2.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Term-Amazon Kindle edition.