J.C.'S STRIDE

Snake in the grass: ‘medical’ marijuana is just a ruse

By Joyce Coronel | May 7, 2009 | The Catholic Sun

Few images evoke the vast sympathy of people across the political spectrum more than the plight of terminally ill patients. We do pride ourselves, after all, on being a humane and advanced society.

A group that wants to legalize what it calls “medical” marijuana has exploited that sympathy with a carefully crafted campaign designed to convince you that providing pot to the dying is a sensible thing to do.

They readily admit that their ultimate goal, of course, is the legalization of marijuana for so-called recreational use. That, I believe, would be an egregious mistake.

Back in my 20s, the medical marijuana argument seemed perfectly logical. What’s the difference if the person is dying anyway, right?

But today, as a mother of five, I’ve got a different perspective. And as a dozen states, including Arizona, contemplate allowing medical use of pot or easing up on restrictions against marijuana use in general, the need for moral clarity on this issue is bigger than ever.

There’s no question that since the 1960s, drug use has become more and more accepted, even celebrated and glamorized by rock stars and celebrities. A lot of people think of marijuana as a relatively harmless substance.

As any pot-head who’s emerged from his stupor long enough will tell you, “Dude, it’s safer than tobacco!”

Here’s a dose of reality: researchers say even infrequent use of marijuana raises the risk of psychosis, a severe disorder that often manifests itself in schizophrenia.

When you factor in that sobering fact plus side effects like paranoia and psychological dependence, not to mention the fact that using marijuana is often the first step kids take before they graduate to abusing other drugs, we’ve got more than enough reason to keep the stuff illegal.

The law is supposed to be an embodiment of our collective moral will, a guide that proscribes and punishes actions that are deemed harmful to society.

There are some well-intentioned people who maintain legalizing marijuana might help quell the terrible violence stemming from the drug trade that has plagued our southern border.

That strikes me as giving in to the enemy. We’ve got to muster the moral courage to fight this battle. We owe it to our kids to keep in place the legal wall that shouts marijuana is bad for you. Medical marijuana represents a breach in that wall.

Geriann Heslin, a hospice nurse who has spent years caring for the dying, is skeptical of the medical marijuana campaign. She said that proponents’ assertion that it’s a way to help with the nausea terminally ill patients often experience doesn’t compute. The St. Daniel’s parishioner said a drug called Zofran, given intravenously or orally, is the remedy for nausea. In her experience, she’s never known Zofran to fail.

And in a society that abhors suffering, Heslin offers a uniquely Catholic perspective on the pain of the dying: suffering can be redemptive.

“Even though they’re suffering, it brings out the best in people,” Heslin said. “We’re all going to die and we might as well be as alert as we can and be reassuring to our children and spouses.”

The notion that we’re helping cancer patients or cutting down on border violence strikes me as rationalization. Something tells me St. Thomas Aquinas never said, “What’s the difference anyway?” or “Permit this evil for a greater good.”

Haven’t we heard people argue that embryos are going to be destroyed anyway, so why not harvest their stem cells?

And why stop with marijuana? Once our laws allow for decriminalization of pot, why not heroin or cocaine? It’s bad enough that television and films promote the opposite of what responsible parents try to teach their kids, will we now have to fight drug laws too?

Honestly, I can’t think of one saint who would endorse marijuana use. God tells us to find our strength and solace in Him; the legalize-marijuana proponents would rather sweet-talk us into finding it in cannabis. Don’t fall for it.

--

Joyce Coronel is a regular contributor to The Catholic Sun. Send comments to letters@catholicsun.org.