Another Cannabis Article?

“Isaiah had said, ‘Prepare a poultice of figs and apply it to the boil, and he will recover.’” (Isa 38:21, NIV)

“Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then is there no healing for the wound of my people?” (Jer 8:22, NIV)

God knows all. Time is a human construct and not one that affects God in the least. He saw your actions today on the day he created the heavens and the earth. He sees your tomorrow in the same breath as “The Fall.” He sent Jesus to die on the cross despite knowing that next week, we would fail Him once again.

Back to “The Fall,” or the introduction of sin into God’s perfect creation. Follow me here. God’s perfect creation fell apart on the day Adam and Eve chose to disobey for the very first time and eat from the tree of life. In that exact instance, they welcomed sin into the world, brought destruction to all mankind, and understood the weight of death in a way that God never intended. (Gen 3:1-7) God created the earth and put the Tree of Life in its midst despite knowing Satan would entice Eve to eat the apple. While this blog entry isn’t about the implication of God’s action in the Garden, to address some issues in the lives of today’s Christian we must understand that everything an omniscient God does has meaning.

So let’s jump right into it. Most Christians would agree that, because of “The Fall,” we need medicine. Some would say that, if not for initial sin we would never know sickness or disease or injury. While I agree, I also know that God is all present, all powerful, and all knowing, and He had a plan to manage sickness in our fallen state as surely as He had a plan for our salvation. Hence, the two Bible verses I used to open today’s blog.

For some Christians, seeking medical attention isn’t a problem. A child skins a knee or gets sick at school and we visit the doctor who disinfects the wound or prescribes antibiotics. Tear a ligament? That’s surgery and physical therapy. Get a cancer diagnosis? That’s stem cells or radiation or chemotherapy – or all three. Suffer from pain? There’s myriad treatments that address the underlying cause or block the temporary transmission of neurological signals to ease our discomfort.

But what happens when that pain is constant? What do we, as Christians, do when the condition outlasts our resolve? What is our recourse when our loving, all-knowing, all-seeing Heavenly Father’s plan for us involves allowing some form of suffering?

A few weeks ago I was approached by a fellow blogger who asked me to review her infographic on the pros and cons of marijuana.[1] She had read my blog from several months ago where I challenged Christians to seek a Godly answer to cannabidiol (CBD). She understood that I am not pro-marijuana; rather, I’m pro Christian solution to an earthly problem. She also understood that places like West Virginia are drowning in opioids. (Disclaimer: Ms. Wardini and her website loudcloudhealth.com are pro-marijuana.) So, I reviewed her infographic and read her article (reprinted below with permission) and I learned a few things that Christians may not know.

For instance, I did not know that CBD could be used to treat broken bones and that after CBD treatment, bones could be 35 to 50 percent stronger because CBD stimulates osteoblasts (bone forming cells).[2] Although most people I know who take some form of marijuana or CBD do so for pain, I was unaware that the human body groups CBD and THC (the psychotropic compound in marijuana) receptors along with pain receptors allowing marijuana to dull or deaden pain, which is layman’s speak for a complex neuropharmacological relationship[3] between how we transmit pain signals and the chemicals in marijuana or hemp-based products.

I was also very surprised to discover that, even among the pro-marijuana crowd, conversations include the numerous and sometimes serious undesirable side effects of CBD and THC use, such as addiction, paranoia or schizophrenia, and an increased risk of cancer. (See L. Wardini’s article.)

Christian, some questions remain. Should you use CBD or marijuana as an alternative to opioids or other medications?

Honestly, I cannot answer that question for you. In some instances, the Bible is clear – if it’s illegal in your state, you don’t have a lot of options.

“Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.” (Rom 13: 1-2, NIV)

And…

“’Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?’ But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, ‘Why do you test Me, you hypocrites? Show Me the tax money.’ So they brought Him a denarius. And He said to them, ‘Whose image and inscription is this?’ They said to Him, ‘Caesar’s.’ And He said to them, ‘Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’” (Matt 22:17-21, NKJV)

But that selfsame God-inspired and divinely purposed scripture tells us all things are acceptable in moderation. Wouldn’t “all things” include CBD? Maybe therein lies a key to understanding God’s will in our lives. We, as Christians, must remember that our bodies are the temple of the Holy God (1 Cor 6:19). Jesus drank wine, but He was never drunk nor did the apostles drink in excess (Eph 5:18). Mostly, the apostles understood that anything in excess could lead to not just condemnation by those souls we are called to reach for Christ, but could become a pathway to sin (1 Peter 5:8).

So, my challenge to you, Christian, is to do the research. If marijuana is legal in your state, consider not just the positives, but the negative side effects and decide – is this something Jesus would allow? If marijuana is illegal in your state, but you can travel, are you circumventing the law? (Marijuana is still a controlled substance by federal schedule[4]) What if your choice is to live with unbearable pain, take opioid drugs with equally terrible side effects, or find a source of CBD that doesn’t violate either the law or your conviction? What then?

Do the research. Pray. Seek Godly counsel. And trust in God to lead you to His answer for your life. The same God that sent His Son to die for all of our sins holds your life in His hands, and He sees your tomorrow.

--- Cannabis: How Good or Bad Is It? (Laurice Wardini – LoudCloudHealth.com – reprinted with permission [https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdocs.google.com%2Fdocument%2Fd%2F18aefWUJbekRpfddY1DWvNF0xBCpT0oav9W5QeaHc-Q0%2Fedit&data=02%7C01%7C%7C305bcf757b204d8dd00a08d735a262e6%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637036843863671055&sdata=RfUdjKSTshP64nfxooWOvPURPrsYL7EYTIhSyVH2olQ%3D&reserved=0])

It seems like everyone is talking about cannabis lately. Whether that conversation is about its recreational or medicinal, individual or industrial use, everyone seems to have an opinion. But, what is the truth behind all this?

Humanity has known about the benefits of cannabis for thousands of years, but only recently scientists started researching it in order to understand exactly how it affects the human body and mind. What we know so far is that cannabis is very helpful with some medical and psychological issues.

In this article, we are going to talk a little bit more about the health pros and cons of cannabis use supported by science. We will reveal all the positive and negative sides, alongside other useful information like the short history of cannabis legalization, the main compounds of the drug, some myths surrounding it, and everything else you need to know.

For example, it is known that it can help with treating different addictions, heal broken bones, reduce symptoms of multiple sclerosis, reduce the risk of developing diabetes, and help with depression. It is also very helpful in treating dementia, ADHD, pain, migraines, and reducing the symptoms of cancer treatment.

Although it looks like cannabis use has more positive than negative sides – that is simply not true. For example, smoking cannabis can lead to addiction and breathing problems. Cannabis can also impair cognitive skills, damage oral health, and cardiovascular system. It is also not recommended for pregnant women because it can have harmful effects on the baby.

In addition, heavy cannabis users can experience paranoia and early schizophrenia symptoms. Last but not least, it can lower testosterone, reducing men’s ability to conceive. It might even cause testicular cancer – one of the rarest forms of cancer.

As you can see, cannabis has some great advantages and some extremely detrimental effects on the human body and mind. Is it worth the risk? We will let you decide.

Take a look at this infographic[5] and learn all about the health benefits and risks of consuming cannabis.

(Photo: loudcloudhealth.com)

[1] https://loudcloudhealth.com/blog/infographics/

[2] https://www.labroots.com/trending/cannabis-sciences/8584/cannabidiol-enhances-fracture-healing

[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2430692/

[4] https://criminal.findlaw.com/criminal-charges/federal-marijuana-laws.html

[5] https://loudcloudhealth.com/pros-and-cons-of-weed-infographic/