05-04-2009, 06:29 AM
You never know a person's destiny. There was a time when I was very young that I was smoking quite a bit of pot. (Not as much as your young friend.) But, as Kathy writes, psychedelics had shown me a new dimension to 'reality'--combined with Ram Dass' book, Be Here Now, in which I learned that acid et al wouldn't take me where I wanted to go in a lasting way, so I wanted to begin meditating. Because TM insisted one be smoke free for 2 weeks I stopped smoking pot. I turned to yoga and meditation and still practice these. I also love to, upon, occasion smoke some lovely ganja which reminds me of my spiritual goal and helps to open me to the love and creativity that is always all around me. When I forget, it helps me remember. Blessed sacrament.
One interesting thing about pot is that it contains cannabinoids... and so do humans!
Years ago an incredible woman from Oakland ran the history of marijuana by me and also told me the amazingly long list of uses for it. Many natural herbs have multiple uses--look in any herb book. Plants have been the basis for multitudes of pharmaceutical drugs (including aspirin). If you know your history and herbal lore it is obvious that, just as the Bible says, plants were created for food and medicine. Every vegetable also has health-inducing properties, i.e. tomatoes=lycopene and broccoli and other cruciferous vegs have anti-cancer properties, etc. This is not unusual.
Therefore, to find that marijuana has innumerable health benefits is hardly suspect.
I think the study that is most fascinating is the Swedish study that finds marijuana shrinks tumors. Maitake mushrooms also do this. And other naturally occurring substances do, too.
Remember, it is documented that people have killed themselves by drinking too much water. Although there is no documentation that anyone has ever died of smoking too much pot. The mind also clears after one slows down pot use.
I, like KathyH, have multiple higher degrees. I also know several doctors, lawyers and business people who have smoked pot since college days who are brilliant and responsible individuals. I will take a pot-smoking doctor any day over one who is a drinker. Also, the same with drivers. Stoned people usually drive V-E-R-Y slowly. Anyone who takes other drugs and alcohol mixed with pot, well, then, of course, the influence of the other drug takes over. All bets off there.
I agree that all things in moderation is an excellent motto. The way of the Buddha.
april
One interesting thing about pot is that it contains cannabinoids... and so do humans!
Years ago an incredible woman from Oakland ran the history of marijuana by me and also told me the amazingly long list of uses for it. Many natural herbs have multiple uses--look in any herb book. Plants have been the basis for multitudes of pharmaceutical drugs (including aspirin). If you know your history and herbal lore it is obvious that, just as the Bible says, plants were created for food and medicine. Every vegetable also has health-inducing properties, i.e. tomatoes=lycopene and broccoli and other cruciferous vegs have anti-cancer properties, etc. This is not unusual.
Therefore, to find that marijuana has innumerable health benefits is hardly suspect.
I think the study that is most fascinating is the Swedish study that finds marijuana shrinks tumors. Maitake mushrooms also do this. And other naturally occurring substances do, too.
Remember, it is documented that people have killed themselves by drinking too much water. Although there is no documentation that anyone has ever died of smoking too much pot. The mind also clears after one slows down pot use.
I, like KathyH, have multiple higher degrees. I also know several doctors, lawyers and business people who have smoked pot since college days who are brilliant and responsible individuals. I will take a pot-smoking doctor any day over one who is a drinker. Also, the same with drivers. Stoned people usually drive V-E-R-Y slowly. Anyone who takes other drugs and alcohol mixed with pot, well, then, of course, the influence of the other drug takes over. All bets off there.
I agree that all things in moderation is an excellent motto. The way of the Buddha.
april
april