marijuana

Luke wrote: My thoughts are that jedi should be always level headed and composed. Years ago when I used to smoke pot I couldn't compose myself enough to tie my shoes...I think that mind altering substances should not be be condoned by the jedi..

Alcohol, however, consumed responsibly and in moderation could be overlooked...

Personally for myself I am much more capable under the influence of marijuana than I am under alcohol.

Different things effect different people in different ways. Abuse of any substance would be bad for a jedi to do. If a jedi were getting so high that he was incapable of doing basic things than yes, I'd say that was bad.

But if a Jedi were to use marijuana in a controlled reasonable manner, to focus, to expand the limits of their minds, then what could be wrong with that?

I smoke marijuana, but I do so in a reasonable manner. I am never unable to focus, to talk, to tie my shoes. I keep all my capacities, but I am able to think differently.

The Order's position is that a Jedi does not (or at least should not) abuse or misuse substances.

There is no prohibition against proper, healthy and reasonable use of any substance. That includes sacramental use for enlightenment.

This is not a case of sauce for the goose sauce for the gander. One size does not fit all.

Something that's healthy and reasonable for one person can be a disaster and even poison for another.

The glasses I'm wearing right now to see clearly would make most people legally blind. The injection of insulin I took after dinner to keep my blood sugar at a healthy level would put a non-diabetic (or even a diabetic with less insulin resistance than I) into a coma and probably kill them.

Here's some interesting numbers.

2009 - causes of death - annual causes of death by cause)

Causes of death (1) Number
All causes 2,436,652
Cardiovascular diseases 779,367
Malignant neoplasms 568,668
Drug induced (2) 37,485
Suicide 36,547
Motor vehicle accidents 36,284
Septicemia (infections) 35,587
by Firearms 31,224
Accidental poisoning 30,504
Alcohol induced 23,199
Homicide 16,591
HIV 9,424
Viral hepatitis 7,652
Cannabis (Marijuana) 0

1 Based on the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Second Edition, 2004
2 Drug induced include both legal and illicit drugs.

Source: Kochanek KD, Xu JQ, Murphy SL, et al. "Deaths: Preliminary data for 2009." National vital statistics reports; vol 59 no 4. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2011. pp. 17-20.

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr59/nvsr59_04.pdf

I can't list the source at the moment, but there is anthropological research that corelates drug use in early humans with chemical changes in the brain structures that aided the evolution of the higher mind and abstract thinking.

Drugs are simply substances. It is the intent, and the consequence which renders them harmful or helpful.

Manu wrote: Drugs are simply substances. It is the intent, and the consequence which renders them harmful or helpful.

This quote is true of a lot more than just drugs though as well, but I agree whole heartedly.

Manu wrote: I can't list the source at the moment, but there is anthropological research that corelates drug use in early humans with chemical changes in the brain structures that aided the evolution of the higher mind and abstract thinking.

Drugs are simply substances. It is the intent, and the consequence which renders them harmful or helpful.

The "stoned ape theory" refers to the theory that the doubling of our brain size was directly related to the consumption of psychedelic mushrooms by early primates.

Also, just to say what seems obvious: like some believe the force is neither good nor bad, the same could be said of mind-altering substances. There are no healthy or harmful drugs, simply substances that can improve or harm your life

I don't think it's only about that. It's believed we developed the capacity to think creatively from it as well. I think brain size was mostly due to the development of tools to hunt and kill meat. Protein built our brains, me thinks! Magical substances gave the brain a spiritual purpose.

Marijuana is a great drug, probably causes as much harm as a cup of coffee, but beware of abusing the herb, it can cause laziness. I believe it wasn't drugs that gave us spirituality, but spirituality is an inherit aspect of consciousnesses because we come from the same all encompassing force. we are all searching for the meaning of this life and drugs can be a gateway into seeing different angles of our existence. I've had great revelations of Ganja, LSD and magic mushrooms but they did not create my spirituality, they helped me ta, into the knowledge that was already stored in myself.

Do not kid yourself about people dying from Marijuana use....

Motor vehicle accidents 36,284 (many of these accidents are Marijuana/Drug related)

Many fatal accidents (crimes) are attributed to DUI/Drugs.

I deal with people everyday who "use" marijuana and are chemically altered from who they really are. They make sad and horrible choices which destroy families and personal dreams. Drug usage is NOT a pathway a Jedi would chose or use.

Do NOT romanticize this topic...

I actually would have to argue that the percentage of fatal motor vehicle accidents caused my marijuana specifically (as this is what this thread is about) is actually very small. I won't say it doesn't happy, but I am sure it makes up a small percentage.

Marijuana abuse can, in extreme cases, effect your brain chemistry, as can any substance that binds to neurotransmitter receptors. Again though, in those cases we are talking about extreme abuse.

I also speak about this not from a place of guessing and conjecture, but as an academic who has studied the brain and the effects of drug, at the chemical level, on it.

PloKoon wrote: Do not kid yourself about people dying from Marijuana use....

Motor vehicle accidents 36,284 (many of these accidents are Marijuana/Drug related)

Many fatal accidents (crimes) are attributed to DUI/Drugs.

I deal with people everyday who "use" marijuana and are chemically altered from who they really are. They make sad and horrible choices which destroy families and personal dreams. Drug usage is NOT a pathway a Jedi would chose or use.

Do NOT romanticize this topic...

Then may I ask that you NOT demonize this topic?

I've been wanting to add How To Lie With Statistics to the Initiates Program for some time and here's a great example of why we should.

How many of those motor vehicle accidents were caused by people who were ONLY using marijuana and not also in combination with alcohol, narcotic paid medication, benzodiazepines, muscle relaxers etc?

"Many fatal accidents (crimes) are attributed to DUI/Drugs."

You're right. The vast majority is from alcohol and people addicted to crack or opioids desperate to relive the withdrawal. How many of those fatal accidents and crimes involved someone ONLY using marijuana without also using alcohol, crack, cocaine, opioids etc?

"I deal with people everyday who "use" marijuana and are chemically altered from who they really are. They make sad and horrible choices which destroy families and personal dreams. Drug usage is NOT a pathway a Jedi would chose or use."

Same question. How many of these people are ONLY using marijuana and NOT a combination of it with other substances? For those where families and individuals have been harmed for only using cannabis it's almost 100% of the time because they've been arrested for it. The law is the crime.

Are you by any chance a police officer or a parole / probation officer?

No Jedi would ever harm someone for growing a natural plant and using it. It is a crime against humanity and God given basic human rights.



See: http://www.leap.cc/ for a perspective from current and former law enforcement officers.