Period

  I haven't wanted to do this one, and I haven't wanted to do it for a long time! I haven't wanted to do it for a lot of reasons, but on one, more then the others?
But the time is right, because the Lord keeps bringing up the subject. And certainly He's right, because it is coming to a town near you, and it is coming very soon! In case you haven't noticed, marijuana is moving toward legalization, and eventually, it will be the law throughout the land. So the smart thing to do is to prepare for this before it happens. My only comment so far, was that it should be legal. Certainly, there are many medicinal purposes that are legitimate, and they are finding more all the time. But we are not talking about its medicinal benefits, we are talking about recreational use, and that is a whole other thing! Because marijuana, as with any drug has it's drawbacks. The most problematic of these, is the one that could be debilitating for some users? I am talking about paranoia, which could in extreme cases lead to psychosis in some people. No small worry, very rare, but still troublesome. As a way to understand this, lets compare Marijuana and alcohol. Both are stimulants that will bring about an altered state, but also, each changes the users perception. For the most part, alcohol will make someone less inhibited, that is why people will do silly things that they would not do if sober. But marijuana is the exact opposite of that, in that the user will become more self aware then he or she was prior to smoking it. Because of this heightened awareness, if the person is focused on a perceived problem about themselves or their surroundings, real or not, paranoia will be experienced. Keep in mind that paranoia is more then just seeing a police car in the rearview mirror, but it can be a source of fear in many things? It is the most dangerous when the person becomes so fixated on themselves, that they believe that others are out to get them, causing them to suspect others, and always looking over their shoulders so to speak? The old joke of course is, Just because your paranoid, doesn't mean that they aren't after you? But it is not a laughing matter, because left unchecked, it can debilitate a person so much with fear,  that it can lead to anxiety and panic attacks!
I realize that I have painted a pretty bleak picture, and you should know that serious paranoia, that raises itself to that level is extremely rare, but with legalization, should come the reality of this possible problem, and we should prepare in advance as the decision arises. Because of paranoia, and the fact that it is a mind altering substance, it should be made available only to adults. The adolescent mind has enough to deal with, and to enter a mind altering drug to the mix would not be wise. If it were up to me, I would set the minimum age at 23, not 21, and certainly not 18! Also, if we are to enter another legal drug along side of alcohol, I would suggest the five year automatic law be in place, if you make pot available to a minor, you go to jail, period!