Pubdate: Thu,  3 Mar 2005
Source: Daily Free Press (Boston U, MA Edu)
Copyright: 2005 Back Bay Publishing, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.dailyfreepress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/796
Author: Thomas J. Hillgardner
Referred: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n338/a02.html?397

BIBLE IRRELEVANT IN DOPE DEBATE

Yes, indeed, the Bible does say that defilement of the body is an 
abomination, (Leviticus 19:28) as is homosexuality, (Leviticus 18:22) and 
eating shellfish (Leviticus 11:10). It also says that it is okay to possess 
slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring 
nations, (Leviticus 25:44), or to sell your daughter into slavery, (Exodus 
21:7), and that persons working on the Sabbath should be put to death 
(Exodus 35:2), along with anyone who trims their hair around their temples 
(Leviticus 19:27), or any farmer who plants two different crops in the same 
field, albeit in the case of the farmer, you need to get everyone in town 
together to stone him to death (Leviticus 24:10-16).

Bible lessons aside, Mr. Rodgers demonstrates his ignorance about marijuana 
where he seems to think that smoking it is its only method of consumption. 
Marijuana may be administered orally and that the government doesn't want 
us to know that vaporizers exist that do not burn the plant matter so that 
the person inhaling obtains the active ingredients of marijuana while not 
exposing themselves to the tars. But the government is too busy imposing 
religious-based prohibitions to let the scientific facts interfere with its 
agenda or cloud its rhetoric.

Also, with the exception of persons predisposed to schizophrenia, there is 
no evidence that casual marijuana use has any long-term deleterious affect 
on the brain. Certainly, it pales in comparison to the well-documented 
long-term deleterious affects of alcohol on the brain. I would suggest that 
Mr. Rodgers stop seeking his information about marijuana in the Bible and 
consult modern scientific literature before writing any more letters on the 
subject.

Thomas J. Hillgardner

Jamaica, N.Y.
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