STORY: Here is a list of diseases caused by a habit: heart diseases, blood vessel disease, high blood pressure, chronic bronchitis, hearing loss, cataracts, obesity, sexual impotence, risk of stoke, lung and laryngeal cancer, emphysema, serious back problems, and faster physical and mental decline. What do you think it is? /// Smoking. Not only these, it causes children under second hand smoke with ear infections, asthma, respiratory distress syndrome, bleeding in the brain, blood infections, conduct disorder, delinquency and possibly crib deaths.
Background:
· In Holland, smoking marijuana is legally allowed. Anyone can buy a small amount of marijuana from a grocery store and smoke publicly. In Canada, 41% of those aged 15 and above admitted of using marijuana some time in their lifetime; 14% admitted of using the other 5 illicit drugs.
· Parallel descriptions: surrender or dedication or dependence TO a master, a devotion, or a compulsion; an overpowering desire to continue a habit
· Addiction can be of many kinds, either to the consumption of some substance (such as illicit drugs, tobacco, alcohol) or to an activity (such as gambling or computer games).
· In the case of substance addiction, the dependence is both physical and psychological. Physically, the metabolism of the body needs the addicted drug in order to function tolerably well. To feel normal, the person often increasingly needs more and more of the substance. If any attempt is made to remove the use of the drug, withdrawal symptoms occur. Psychologically and emotionally, the addiction becomes a basic habit of life. When the drug is not used, there are many side effects, from hallucination to intense physical pain.
· often a result of escapism – avoiding to confront realities of hardship, discomfort, depression, and failure (at work or relationships)
· initial involvement under peer pressure from bad friends, or parents who smoke
· attempt to obtain a nice sensation (“feeling good”)
· Addiction is described as being “enslaved” (Titus 3:3) or “mastered” (1Co 6:12) in the Bible.
· God is our Lord and Master. Addiction is equivalent to creating a new master. It is against the will of God (Gal 5:1). A person enslaved by an addiction is in a pitiable state.
o Like the forbidden fruit, some Christians might like to try and experience them. But a casual trial can be dangerous. Despite scientific research, the process of becoming addicted is still not well understood. Addiction can result in just one try (like a journey of no return). It is therefore wise for Christians to avoid them and abstain totally.
· Illicit drugs are those drugs whose consumption is forbidden by law. The most common 6 types are marijuana or cannabis, cocaine or crack, ecstasy, LSD and other hallucinogens, amphetamines or speed, and heroin.
· In 2002, 12% of Canadians aged 15 and above admitted having used cannabis (much higher than the 7% in 1994). The proportion was 37% for those aged 18-24. For the other 5 illicit drugs, it was 2.4% (higher than the 1.6% in 1994).
· A US survey reports that 38% of Grade 8 students have experimented with illicit drugs.
o “Stumble” means more than dislike; it means the loss of faith and/or sinning.
· The Bible never mentions illicit drugs as they were non-existent in Biblical times.
· Conclusion: Taking illicit drugs is not acceptable for Christians.
· In Canada, the Liberal government proposed in 2003 to decriminalize the consumption of a small amount of marijuana. Instead of charging the offender as a criminal, they would only be fined by tickets. Marijuana trafficking (of large amounts) and cultivation will still be indictable offences.The Liberal government proposed
· Admittedly, marijuana causes less harm than other “hard” drugs. However, they bring problems similar to other drugs. In proposing decriminalization, the government in effect encourages the habit and lowers the inhibition of non-users to try it out.
· In Canada, 22% of the population were smokers (smoking daily) in 2001 (25% in Quebec, 20% in Ontario, 16% in B.C.). The proportion was 18% for those aged 15-19.
· In the US, 18% of the population were smokers in 2001; 70% of them said they wanted to quit smoking completely. Another 17% were former smokers.
· In the US, 22% of high school students were smokers in 2003 (38% tried smoking), much lower than the 36% in 1997 (70% tried smoking in 1997). A likely cause of the decrease is the huge 90% increase in the price of cigarettes between 1997 and 2003.
· Smoking-related diseases claim an estimated 500,000 lives in the US and Canada every year, including those affected indirectly, such as babies born prematurely due to prenatal maternal smoking and those victims of “secondhand” exposure to tobacco’s carcinogens.
· Cigarettes contain at least 69 distinct cancer-causing chemicals (carcinogens). Smoking is directly responsible for 87% of lung cancer cases and causes most cases of emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Smoking is also a major factor in coronary heart disease and stroke, malignancies in other parts of the body; slowed healing of wounds, infertility, degeneration of eyesight, and peptic ulcer disease.
· Smoking in pregnancy accounts for up to 30% of low-birth weight babies, up to 14% of preterm deliveries, and 10% of all infant deaths. Many full-term babies of smokers have narrowed airways and curtailed lung function.
· Smoking by parents endangers the health of their children, including exacerbation of asthma, increased frequency of colds and ear infections, and sudden infant death syndrome.
· Secondhand smoke is responsible for 3,000 nonsmokers to die of lung cancer in the U.S.
· The Bible never mentions smoking as it was non-existent in Biblical times.
· Conclusion: Similar to illicit drugs, smoking is not acceptable for Christians. While smoking is not an illegal activity, the risk to health is even greater than illicit drugs.
· Smoking itself is not immoral but it is an “improper act” with consequences that are incompatible with a Christian lifestyle.
· For Christians who smoke, they need to know the Biblical principles. It is a weakness to be dealt with but not an immoral act that requires serious rebuke.
· For those who want to get rid of their addiction, they need acceptance, encouragement, and prayer support from the church.
· The Bible does not prohibits drinking liquor. Alcohol was the common beverage in celebrations. Jesus even turned water into wine in a wedding (Jn 2:1-10).
· Wine was used as a medicine in ancient times (1Ti 5:23). Wine was used externally as a disinfectant (Lk 10:33-34).
· However, drunkenness from the effect of alcohol is sin (Ro 13:13; 1Co 5:11; 6:10; Gal 5:21; Eph 5:18; 1Pe 4:3).
· Conclusion: Drinking liquor is not immoral. Light responsible drinking is permissible and many people still have the habit of consuming alcoholic drinks in celebrations. However, alcohol is also potentially evil (Isa 5:22; Pr 20:1); it can destroy far more often than it heals.