Medical Marijuana in Utah -- follow up
I have great concerns regarding the Medical Marijuana initiative.
As I mentioned in that post, I am not against responsible, appropriate use of marijuana (more specifically parts of the cannabis plant) to treat legitimate medical issues. These issues will have been shown, and even supported by evidence, to be helped by parts of the cannabis plant.
I think the legislature has been responsible in not going down the rabbit hole of legalizing medical marijuana, but, instead to legalize the research and study of the legitimate use of it.
But, a few loud voices have complained it is not fast enough and people are suffering who could be benefited by legalizing medical use of marijuana. They use political talking points to blind people to the real dangers of legalizing medical marijuana for general use.
They have pushed a Medical Marijuana Initiative, and the summary looks appealing to many.
The problem is in the details.
The Initiative, if it passes to law, will open the doors to recreational use of marijuana. In the attempt to make medical marijuana available to anyone who needs it, or wants to try it, the wording of the proposed law would open the doors for anyone to use it. Law enforcement will be restricted in what they can enforce and how, because it will provide for the legal defense of marijuana use for medicinal purposes, even if it wasn't being used for such.
The writers of the bill claim it is for medicinal use of marijuana. But, if you read the Initiative and the legal analysis of how the items of the proposed legislation could easily lead to recreational use due how it is written, then it becomes doubtful that the Initiative's intent is just for medical use.
" In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days..."
There are those who want to legalize the use of marijuana. It is addicting. It will destroy families. It will increase crime and violence. It will increase homelessness. It will increase people's reliance on the government. It will numb people to spiritual promptings. It is a way to enslave people without them realizing it.
Are there parts of the plant that could be used for medical purposes? Yes, but there is not enough research and study to determine the best way to use those parts. And, this Initiative does not legalize only certain parts or certain uses. The whole cannabis plant is legal. And, it will become legal to even grow it.
The medical marijuana cards are not a one-time use, like a prescription. They could easily be mis-used and re-used indefinitely. There are not specified conditions for which the medical use of marijuana prescribed.
I believe that initially it will be seen as a victory and there will mostly be legitimate use of marijuana for medicinal purposes.
But, as the law is tried and law enforcement becomes tied in what they can do, recreational use will become much more common as more people claim it is for medical use.
This Initiative does little, practically nothing, to protect those who are weakest and most susceptible to becoming entangled in drug addiction.
I predict within two years of passing the Medical Marijuana Initiative (unfortunately, I think it will pass...too many people want to believe the window-dressed talking points, too many don't want the Church to be involved with politics, too many believe the Church is out of touch and doesn't know what is good for society and won't bother to read the legal analysis, let alone the actual wording of the Initiative) there will be a realization that there is a recreational marijuana problem, especially along the Wasatch Front, and many will wonder how it happened. By then it will be too late to do much to correct it.
A number of other societal ills (increased crime, violence, break-ups of families, homelessness, illegal drug use, alcohol related issues to name a few) will have increased as well, but, since the documentation of marijuana use will be restricted and severely limited, according to the Initiative, there will be no proof or even documented correlation to show that the increased marijuana use can be attributed as a factor to those ills. Washington state, and others, are experiencing this, but they do not have sufficient documented evidence (due to the laws) to show the correlation, or even prove it.
If people in Utah (as a majority) want to follow what is becoming socially accepted, they will also receive the same consequences.
This is why I think the Initiative will pass...
I think too many members of the Church may believe that because there is a high population of Latter-day Saints--members of the Lord's church--in Utah then we will somehow be protected from the major problems and judgments other places are, and will be, experiencing. This is only true while the majority of Saints are actually trying to live the commandments of God, keep their covenants, and follow the prophets. Note that I said "major" in relation to problems and judgments, the Saints will still experience these but to a lesser degree if they are actually faithful Saints.
Unfortunately, more and more members of the Church are Saints in name only. Too many have a righteous appearance, but they are not keeping the commandments the best they can, and often even ignore commandments, or justify that they are somehow exempt.
There are too many Sunday meeting Mormons. They go to Church and even do what is needed for their callings, but tend to set the things of God aside for the rest of the week, including the rest of the Sabbath day.
Church has become a "tradition" for too many of those who call themselves Latter-day Saints. They do not search the scriptures, they do not pray with their hearts, they do not seek the companionship and guidance of the Holy Ghost, they do not keep their covenants as they should, and they do not follow the counsels of the prophets.
Regarding the following of prophets, there are too many Saints who justify why they can't follow some counsel. Or, they complain about something that is said, or say that the prophets don't know what they are talking about, or the prophets are out of touch and old fashioned. They do not actually sustain their prophets and leaders of the Church.
However, many of those members will sustain evil, although the evil is not labeled as such. They sustain the breakdown of traditional marriage and family. They sustain legalization of substances that will harm society. They sustain those who will modify laws that will restrict freedoms and liberties. They sustain movements that encourage promiscuity and pride, and those which reduce or eliminate morals and God. They sustain and follow the ways of Babylon.
There are certainly many members of the Church who are trying to follow the commandments, who do try to do their best, who do try to be as faithful as they can, who do pray with full purpose of heart, and who do try to follow the guidance of the Spirit. These faithful do sustain the prophet and their church leaders.
But are these faithful the majority? I have my doubts.
However, I do hope they can exert a positive influence on the others. I do hope their prayers are sufficient to keep us protected from the major judgments and destruction. And, I do hope they can be a tipping point to keep the Medical Marijuana Initiative from passing.
As I mentioned in that post, I am not against responsible, appropriate use of marijuana (more specifically parts of the cannabis plant) to treat legitimate medical issues. These issues will have been shown, and even supported by evidence, to be helped by parts of the cannabis plant.
I think the legislature has been responsible in not going down the rabbit hole of legalizing medical marijuana, but, instead to legalize the research and study of the legitimate use of it.
But, a few loud voices have complained it is not fast enough and people are suffering who could be benefited by legalizing medical use of marijuana. They use political talking points to blind people to the real dangers of legalizing medical marijuana for general use.
They have pushed a Medical Marijuana Initiative, and the summary looks appealing to many.
The problem is in the details.
The Initiative, if it passes to law, will open the doors to recreational use of marijuana. In the attempt to make medical marijuana available to anyone who needs it, or wants to try it, the wording of the proposed law would open the doors for anyone to use it. Law enforcement will be restricted in what they can enforce and how, because it will provide for the legal defense of marijuana use for medicinal purposes, even if it wasn't being used for such.
The writers of the bill claim it is for medicinal use of marijuana. But, if you read the Initiative and the legal analysis of how the items of the proposed legislation could easily lead to recreational use due how it is written, then it becomes doubtful that the Initiative's intent is just for medical use.
" In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days..."
There are those who want to legalize the use of marijuana. It is addicting. It will destroy families. It will increase crime and violence. It will increase homelessness. It will increase people's reliance on the government. It will numb people to spiritual promptings. It is a way to enslave people without them realizing it.
Are there parts of the plant that could be used for medical purposes? Yes, but there is not enough research and study to determine the best way to use those parts. And, this Initiative does not legalize only certain parts or certain uses. The whole cannabis plant is legal. And, it will become legal to even grow it.
The medical marijuana cards are not a one-time use, like a prescription. They could easily be mis-used and re-used indefinitely. There are not specified conditions for which the medical use of marijuana prescribed.
I believe that initially it will be seen as a victory and there will mostly be legitimate use of marijuana for medicinal purposes.
But, as the law is tried and law enforcement becomes tied in what they can do, recreational use will become much more common as more people claim it is for medical use.
This Initiative does little, practically nothing, to protect those who are weakest and most susceptible to becoming entangled in drug addiction.
I predict within two years of passing the Medical Marijuana Initiative (unfortunately, I think it will pass...too many people want to believe the window-dressed talking points, too many don't want the Church to be involved with politics, too many believe the Church is out of touch and doesn't know what is good for society and won't bother to read the legal analysis, let alone the actual wording of the Initiative) there will be a realization that there is a recreational marijuana problem, especially along the Wasatch Front, and many will wonder how it happened. By then it will be too late to do much to correct it.
A number of other societal ills (increased crime, violence, break-ups of families, homelessness, illegal drug use, alcohol related issues to name a few) will have increased as well, but, since the documentation of marijuana use will be restricted and severely limited, according to the Initiative, there will be no proof or even documented correlation to show that the increased marijuana use can be attributed as a factor to those ills. Washington state, and others, are experiencing this, but they do not have sufficient documented evidence (due to the laws) to show the correlation, or even prove it.
If people in Utah (as a majority) want to follow what is becoming socially accepted, they will also receive the same consequences.
This is why I think the Initiative will pass...
I think too many members of the Church may believe that because there is a high population of Latter-day Saints--members of the Lord's church--in Utah then we will somehow be protected from the major problems and judgments other places are, and will be, experiencing. This is only true while the majority of Saints are actually trying to live the commandments of God, keep their covenants, and follow the prophets. Note that I said "major" in relation to problems and judgments, the Saints will still experience these but to a lesser degree if they are actually faithful Saints.
Unfortunately, more and more members of the Church are Saints in name only. Too many have a righteous appearance, but they are not keeping the commandments the best they can, and often even ignore commandments, or justify that they are somehow exempt.
There are too many Sunday meeting Mormons. They go to Church and even do what is needed for their callings, but tend to set the things of God aside for the rest of the week, including the rest of the Sabbath day.
Church has become a "tradition" for too many of those who call themselves Latter-day Saints. They do not search the scriptures, they do not pray with their hearts, they do not seek the companionship and guidance of the Holy Ghost, they do not keep their covenants as they should, and they do not follow the counsels of the prophets.
Regarding the following of prophets, there are too many Saints who justify why they can't follow some counsel. Or, they complain about something that is said, or say that the prophets don't know what they are talking about, or the prophets are out of touch and old fashioned. They do not actually sustain their prophets and leaders of the Church.
However, many of those members will sustain evil, although the evil is not labeled as such. They sustain the breakdown of traditional marriage and family. They sustain legalization of substances that will harm society. They sustain those who will modify laws that will restrict freedoms and liberties. They sustain movements that encourage promiscuity and pride, and those which reduce or eliminate morals and God. They sustain and follow the ways of Babylon.
There are certainly many members of the Church who are trying to follow the commandments, who do try to do their best, who do try to be as faithful as they can, who do pray with full purpose of heart, and who do try to follow the guidance of the Spirit. These faithful do sustain the prophet and their church leaders.
But are these faithful the majority? I have my doubts.
However, I do hope they can exert a positive influence on the others. I do hope their prayers are sufficient to keep us protected from the major judgments and destruction. And, I do hope they can be a tipping point to keep the Medical Marijuana Initiative from passing.
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