Question by Gunslinger’s Ka: A Moral Marijuana Conundrum?
I have decided to write a thesis paper about a person who I intimately know that is going through a moral conundrum. With his permission to openly share his story, I have decided to take a new angle, and ask random people to see what kinds of responses I can tabulate. I am currently attending school to become a licensed clinical therapist, and any opinions you can give me would be greatly appreciated. Please include your age, gender, and state where you live in, in your reply!
So, let me give you some back story to this person. For the intentions (and anonymity) of this posting, we will call this person George. There are several factors we need to consider when answering this question. George has been in recovery for the past nine years from narcotics. George has not touched a drug in that nine years, other then the occasional social drink with friends. George is completely comfortable with their choice about drinking, and is not habitual by any means. George does not use any other prescribed drugs currently.
George decided that the best way to share his knowledge about the recovery process, and to help teenagers was to become an Addictions Specialist himself. George has been working in the addictions field for over five years, and has helped many people overcome their battles with narcotics and alcohol. George currently works as a preventions specialist, working on changing the youth’s views before they become addicted to any substances. George works in a school as a “preventions” teacher, as well as for an agency that supports people through their recovery process. George is no longer a formal counselor at this time, and only works in the preventions field.
George recently fell ill. He saw doctor after doctor, and had test after test done, until he decided not to undergo anymore. George has been dealing with a stomach ailment for the past three years that no doctor can seem to identify, but has similarity to IBD, and Chrohnes. George eats food, and suffers (at times) excruciating to moderate stomach pains that were only barely controlled with over the counter, and prescribed medications. The doctors all told George to take Vicodin for the pain, Anti-Spasmodics for the stomach cramping, Immodium, Pepto, Tums, Zantac, the list goes on and on.
One day George decided that enough was enough, and took control of his own life. He researched medicinal Marijuana use, and talked to some of his friends that currently smoked. He felt that the help that this drug could provide outweighed the risks. The opportunity presented itself one day where George was yet again in pain from his stomach, and decided to smoke some marijuana to see if it would work (alleviate his pain)or not. Not only did it work, but it almost instantaneously sedated George’s stomach pains. No other drug had worked that effectively or as fast before.George didn’t have to run to the bathroom, or sit in agony, or take five different medications, he just had to have a couple of “pulls” and he legitimately felt better.
Now George has a moral conundrum. He works as a preventions teacher, and part of his curriculum is to teach youth about the “evils” of marijuana. While his personal views have changed, his professional opinion remains that of “all drugs can become abusive”. George also struggles with the morality issues of being a preventions specialist and at times counselor who is currently using marijuana to alleviate his pain; he feels he is a hypocrite, even though he knows he is doing a great job with the youth. George does not live in a state where marijuana is legal, in his state it is only decriminalized. George has a great family that he loves and takes care of, and several children in which he is a very active father with. George gives his all in his job, and is not lazy by any means. George never smokes during the his workdays and only smokes in the evenings when the pain is pronounced.
The question stands about George, is his marijuana smoking wrong? Is there a moral conundrum? Are our views about marijuana so demonized that a person who legitimately feels better still feels like the villain himself? Please serious answers only and remember to include your age, gender, and state you live in. Thank you all so much.
Best answer:
Answer by Rono Rob
Weed is good for the mind.
Add your own answer in the comments!
Marijuana has repeatedly been proven to NOT cause cancer, heart disease, brain damage, liver disease, emphysema, or any other significant health issue, and its addiction potential is about on par with coffee. In all respects, marijuana is far safer than beer and wine and should, at the very least, be controlled by exactly the same laws that we use for alcohol.
Our current marijuana prohibition empowers drug dealers and the Mexican drug cartels by preventing any form of legal competition to their activities. Instead of protecting children from marijuana, these laws create an environment of zero legal supply amidst massive and unrelenting demand and effectively serve to make our children LESS safe. It is *because* of the failings of the prohibition that our children now have easier access to marijuana than to alcohol! Our communities need legal adult marijuana sales for exactly the same reason that they need legal alcohol and tobacco sales – to keep unscrupulous black-market criminals away from our neighborhoods and our children.
Parents work hard to keep drugs away from their children and they need effective, logic-based laws to help them with this. In order to greatly improve the safety of our children we need legal adult marijuana sales in gas stations and supermarkets at prices too low for drug dealers to match – just as beer and wine are sold today.
19
Female
California
I don’t think he’s bad, i do believe he is a hypocrite but not sure if he should feel bad about it. I’m against adults and media lying and putting it into kids heads that weed is so bad when it’s not. Kids are taught marijuana is so evil, but alcohol is only evil if you drink and drive, that’s what you always hear about. I think no matter what he should continue with something that helps him and isn’t addictive, i’m not so sure he should be teaching that pot is evil though, but it’s his decision. Even if he goes to work and is telling kids a myth that pot kills, i still wouldn’t think he should stop. Now about his illness has he ever been tested for celiac disease or wheat intolerance? If not please mention this to him, there are blood tests that may be able to tell him if he is, and even if it’s inconclusive he can try for a while to eliminate gluten and see if it helps at all.