The Christian Broadcasting Network (“CBN News”) is reporting about a mom from Colorado, where marijuana was legalized in 2012 when her son was 12 years old. In 2014, marijuana became available in Colorado’s dispensaries and her (then) 14 year old son, Johnny, admitted trying it at a high school party.
For the next five years, Johnny used marijuana and even secretly obtained a card authorizing his use of “medical marijuana.” Sadly, Johnny took his own life when he was 19 years old, after becoming psychotic, delusional and paranoid.
The CBN News report may be viewed HERE.
This writer’s background includes a few years as a Special Agent with the USAF Office of Special Investigations, during which much of the training involved drug enforcement. I spent the first year after completing the initial academy leading the Travis AFB, CA Joint Drug Enforcement Team and subsequently worked for several years at Holloman AFB, NM participating in drug enforcement operations.
It’s interesting to hear discussions about legalized recreational use of marijuana at the state level. If a state allows something that is forbidden at the federal level, it’s not really legal, but what is happening is that the federal government has elected, as a matter of enforcement discretion, to refrain from seeking prosecution and the state has elected to ignore existing federal code or statutes.
The federal Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”), 21 USC 812, establishes five schedules of controlled substances, identified as Schedules I, II, III, IV and V. Schedule I lists substances that have been determined to have: 1) a high potential for abuse; 2) no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States; and 3) a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug or substance under medical supervision. The psychoactive substance in marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol (“THC”), remains to this day a listed Schedule I substance.
A state, whether it’s Colorado, New Mexico or some other state, can arbitrarily declare marijuana use legal, but what is actually happening is a glaring lack of willingness by the federal government to take a solid position one way or the other, and the states are taking advantage of this for additional tax dollars – at the expense of its own citizens.
If you are willing, let’s bend a knee and pray. Father, we ask you to speak to the hearts of those in positions to encourage, allow, regulate and/or spend tax dollars on marijuana matters in our beautiful State of New Mexico (and across this nation). Father, give us the eyes, ears and wisdom to know Your will and to act upon it. We ask for a mighty hedge of protection over all our children who are growing up in a confusing and morally-conflicted time. May Your love fill our hearts to overflowing. We thank You for Your goodness. We come before You, asking these things in the name of Jesus. Amen!
Proverbs 2:6 (NKJV)
“For the Lord gives wisdom; [f]rom His mouth come[s] knowledge and understanding…”.
Proverbs 4:7 (NKJV)
“Wisdom is the principal thing; [t]herefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.”
1 Corinthians 3:19 (NKJV)
“For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, ‘He catches the wise in their own craftiness…'”.
Praise Jesus forevermore!
