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Drugs -
Marijuana Dangers
The
Dangers of Marijuana
Breaking
The Faith
Faith-Centered
vs. Marijuana-Centered
Marijuana is an addictive drug that can separate users from their
faith. Addiction is a disease characterized by compulsive drug-seeking
behavior regardless of the consequences (1) -
consequences as severe as losing one's faith, family, or even one's
self. For many users, marijuana becomes a life-controlling substance. A life
centered on marijuana cannot be centered on faith.
Moral
Development
Marijuana can devastate the social and moral development of
users.(2) Some users are immature or self-centered
when they begin to use, but marijuana heightens those characteristics,
killing the empathy and caring that embody the basic tenets of religions.
Family
Communication
Godly instruction given to children from their parents and wise
leaders is a practice that has been part of the faith community for
generations. Don't leave marijuana out of this instruction - clearly
talking with children about the dangers of marijuana use on their physical,
mental, emotional, and spiritual health is important. Parents need to have
these conversations from the time their children are little through
adulthood.
- Marijuana use among teens whose parents talked regularly about drug
use was 26 percent, compared to 45 percent of teens who said they
learned nothing at home.(3)
- Research tells us that 74% of the 4th graders wish their parents would
talk to them about the dangers of drugs.3
"Teach a child to choose the right path and when he is older, he will
remain on it." (The Holy Bible, Proverbs 22:6)
"And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the
Spirit." (The Holy Bible, Ephesians 5:18).
"Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who
is in you, whom you have from God... Therefore glorify God in your body and
in your spirit, which are God's." (The Holy Bible, 1 Corinthians
6:19-20)
"Sensuality is enervating; the self-indulgent man is a slave to his
passions, and pleasure seeking is degrading and vulgar... To keep the body
in good health is a duty, for otherwise we shall not be able to trim the
lamp of wisdom, and keep our minds strong and clear." (Buddha, The
Gospel, The Sermon at Benares)
"O ye who believe! Approach not prayer while ye are drunk, until ye
well know what ye say; nor yet while polluted - unless ye be passing by
the way - until ye have washed yourselves." (The Koran, The
Chapter of Women, IV. Medinah)
References
- U.S. Dept. of Education. Growing Up Drug-Free: A
Parent's Guide to Prevention. p. 27. 1989.
- SAMHSA. "Teen marijuana users report psychosocial
problems." SAMHSA News. pp. 2-4. Summer, 1998.
- Join Together Online. "Drug Talks Said Effective."
As cited at http://www.jointogether.org:80/sa/wire/news/reader.jtml?Object_ID=258391.
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