In 2022, there were 17.7 million people in the United States who reported using marijuana either every day or nearly every day, which marks the first time in nearly three decades that daily marijuana use has surpassed daily alcohol use.
This data was revealed in a study published in the journal Addiction, which analyzed data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. The study found that about 17.7 million people reported using marijuana daily or near daily in 2022, compared to 14.7 million who reported drinking alcohol daily or near daily.
This trend indicates a significant shift in substance use patterns among Americans, with more individuals opting for marijuana over alcohol on a regular basis. The study also found that from 1992 to 2022, there was a 15-fold increase in the per capita rate of reporting daily or near daily use of marijuana.
As of April 2024, recreational and medical marijuana is legal in 24 states and the District of Columbia. This legal status plus the commercialization of this dangerous drug has significantly contributed to the perception that marijuana is harmless. Yet we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that it is very dangerous and addictive.
For example, a 2023 study from the University of Illinois Chicago used death certificate data to compare mortality rates in states that legalized recreational cannabis dispensaries with states that only provided access to medical cannabis. The researchers found that there was a substantial increase in crash fatalities in four of the seven states used in the study with legalized recreational markets and that, on average, recreational markets were associated with a 10 percent increase in motor vehicle accident deaths.
Foolish politicians here in Illinois and in other states have unwittingly exasperated this problem by decriminalizing and commercializing pot. With their help, it has become more accessible and is fast becoming socially acceptable in many parts of the country.
Moreover, we cannot ignore the fact that today’s pot has been modified to be far more potent than it was in the past. In the 1970’s, THC content in marijuana was typically 2-3 percent. Today, THC content is typically 30 to 60 percent, or even 80 and up to 90+ percent. Quite the difference in potency!
That’s why the increase in daily marijuana use among our neighbors is alarming, because it is fraught with this dangerous THC level and can lead to addiction. It can also lead to mental health disorders and physical illnesses.
Today’s marijuana causes psychosis, schizophrenia and other severe mental illnesses, depression, suicidal thoughts, high anxiety, addiction, memory loss, mental impairment, lower IQ, severe vomiting, fetal development issues, increased risk of heart attacks, severe lung damage, DUI’s, ER visits, hospitalizations, shorter life expectancy, lower income, and abusive relationships, among other things.
Fox News Channel has been recently highlighting these concerns. Watch and share this eye opening segment with those who need to know:
Christians should understand that Scripture instructs us to live clear-headed:
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. ~ 1 Peter 5:8
This is a warning! Be sober – don’t be intoxicated! Keep a clear head and a sound mind. Romans 13:13 exhorts us to walk soberly and Proverbs 20:1 warns us that being led astray into inebriation is not wise.
Marijuana is a dangerous drug, and it places the physical and mental health of users at risk.
It is vital that we know the truth of God’s Word so we can recognize and refute the schemes of the devil and thwart his desire to disable and/or destroy people with his lies. We must be informed and proactive to talk with our children and grandchildren about the practical and biblical reasons to avoid the insidious temptation to use marijuana.
We must clearly speak up to make our concerns and objections known to the elected officials in Springfield and in Washington D.C.
