Legalize it? As more and more states around the country adopt new laws related to the consumption of cannabis, people within and outside of the recovery community are caught up in fierce debate over the merits of marijuana.
Should stores really sell cannabis products right in the middle of downtown areas?
If you smoke pot, are you fit to drive?
If you eat a hash brownie, are you still sober?
These and similar questions are sure to keep Americans debating for years to come.
But when it comes to recovery, the lines are a little more clear. At the core, 12 Step programs are programs of abstinence.
You’re supposed to stay clean and sober, no matter what.
In Narcotics Anonymous, members are expected to abstain from all mood-altering substances, except for caffeine and nicotine.
In AA, it gets a little more controversial. Technically, the program is meant for people who have a “desire to stop drinking.” Some people loosely interpret that to mean that it’s OK to smoke pot if you don’t drink.
Certainly, there are many more people who feel otherwise — and they won’t hesitate to tell you that if you mention it in a meeting. Smoking pot or using other drugs while trying to abstain from alcohol goes against everything that recovery is about.
At the end of the day, the definition of a drug for you is between you, your sponsor and your higher power as much as it is between you and the federal government.
Whether it’s marijuana, coffee, sex, or work, anything that prevents you from feeling your emotions can be thought of as a drug.
And no matter what the smokers say, marijuana is definitely addictive. According to NIDA (the National Institute on Drug Abuse), about 9% of those who use marijuana become dependent on it. That statistic increases to about 25% to 50% for daily users.
There’s even a 12-Step program, Marijuana Anonymous, for those who want to quit.
Do you have a problem with marijuana? Call us today to find a new hope and relief!