Legalise ganja! More poverty, harder drugs!

Steve Lyston, Contributor

Ezekiel 34: 29 says: And I will raise up for them a plant of renown, and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear the shame of the heathen anymore.

Without a doubt, God created plants, herbs and vegetation for the healing of the nation and this is something I have always advocated. Some even believe that Revelation 22: 1-2 is making reference to marijuana and that it carries 12 benefits to heal the nation. However, if there are those who want to argue on that basis, they have to be very careful that it won't open a can of worms that they can't shut.

Legalising marijuana for medical use of its by-product is a fair issue. However, a general legalisation will have major negative effects, including opening the door for Latin American countries to lobby for the general legalisation to the coca plant which produces cocaine; and to those in Asia who want to lobby for the general legalisation of the by-product of the opium plant which is heroine.

Medically, cocaine is used as a mild stimulant to suppress hunger, thirst and pain. The leaf does not cause the euphoric and psycho-active effect associated with the use of drugs.

What the nations need to do is not focus on marijuana, but focus on all the plants/herbs and their positive effects and so nations would give special permits to persons at all levels in the society to cultivate it for medical purposes.

increase crime

Many will argue that many are being arrested for the use of marijuana, but legalising it is not going to reduce crime, it will do just the opposite. If the nation believes that legalising it will reduce records that people will receive when they get caught with marijuana, then amend the law and treat the offence in the same way we would treat a traffic violation.

We commend our local university - the University of the West Indies, Department of Chemistry - who are carrying out research on our natural resources and what the nation should do if they want to see change in the economy - or a new economy, is give them more money and resources to help them be more effective and efficient in what they do.

Anything to which a person is addicted, whether good or bad, will become your idol or will control you! All things we do, eat or drink must be to the glory of God - (I Corinthians 10: 14 and 31).

If we want to reduce the amount of persons being arrested for possession of marijuana, we need to look beyond the possession of the marijuana and look also at the conditions that exist for those persons, then have a plan of action to deal with that so a repeat is either limited or eliminated.

Why do they do what they do? Some will tell you that it is because of peer pressure - they want to prove that they are tough enough. Some will say they have proper mentor - father or otherwise. Some say they want to be wise like Solomon! Others say it is a sexual stimulant, especially when they soak it in alcohol. (We recall that some years ago, the son of a prominent person was murdered over a chillum pipe.)

Be cautious

Gone are the days when people used to smoke banana leaf. Interestingly, as a child, I saw people give marijuana to their dogs to eat, because the dogs were too passive and they would become the most aggressive and dangerous dogs around. Can we take a hint from this?

Ambassadors and other 'elite' are now going around and trying to entice nations to legalise marijuana and destroy the youth because of greed. Many of them proposing the legalisation are surrounded by security personnel, so they can talk all they want.

SERIOUS QUESTIONS TO PONDER

Would you go to any medical personnel to be treated when you know they are addicted to marijuana?

What about the police and the gunmen when it becomes legal?

What will happen to our children in the schools when it becomes legal?

What will it do to unemployment levels?

Will situations of rape increase?

How will we deal with someone recovering from addiction to a different drug, will we introduce them to marijuana as an alternative?

What effect will it have on pregnant women and those who want to get pregnant and also on the unborn child?

How will it affect our athletes, particularly since Third-World nations are always under scrutiny for performance-enhancing drugs?

Will it find its way into the culinary world - in our food and drink?

How will it affect the nutritional balance in an individual's body?

If this issue goes through the gate, then will we see other issues being put to the fore for legalisation - paedophilia, bestiality and so much more?

Remember, anything you are addicted to becomes an idol. Every idol carries a spirit.

Steve Lyston is a biblical economics consultant and author of several books, including 'End Time Finance' and 'The New Millionaire'.