WHAT OWNS
YOU?
NICOTENE,
SNUFF, VAPING, and DRUGS
It used to be common
understanding to those who professed Christianity as to why Christians should
not partake in such things such as alcohol consumption, the use of nicotine or
snuff, and everyone definitely understood the dangers and stayed away from
using drugs. But now, we have many who
no longer think it’s wrong and some who even teach contrariwise…that its use is
ok and there’s nothing wrong with it.
This shift reveals the sad state
of not just our world but now also the Church that we now need to teach ‘Christians’
WHY these things are wrong to use.
Some have tried to excuse the usage
of such citing this reason, “it’s no different than caffeine addiction.” Does that make it ok? But more than that, there is a HUGE
difference which we are going to look at concerning each of these.
First off: ANYTHING a person is
addicted to can be a sin, whether it is food, caffeine, or the
aforementioned.
Merriam-Webster defines addiction
as this: “a compulsive, chronic, physiological or psychological need for a
habit-forming substance, behavior, or activity having HARMFUL physical, psychological,
or social effects and typically causing well-defined symptoms (such as ANXIETY,
IRRITABILITY, TREMORS, or NAUSEA) upon withdrawal or abstinence.
I saw a picture hanging in a
restaurant a while back that had a coffee cup with a smiling face on it and the
words under it, “I Own You.”
That was very eye-opening. I don’t want anything ‘owning’ me. If it ‘owns’ me, it controls me. If you are addicted to something, it has you
bound to serve it. It has dominion (authority)
over you rather than you having dominion over it.
CAFFEINE:
We have all heard that caffeine
can be addictive. However, according to
WebMD.com, while there is a little truth to it, that belief is a myth.
“This one has some truth to it,
depending on what you mean by “addictive.” Caffeine is a stimulant to the
central nervous system, and regular use of caffeine does cause MILD physical
dependance. BUT caffeine doesn’t threaten your physical, social or
economic health the way addictive drugs do. (Although after seeing your
monthly spending at the coffee shop, you might disagree!)”
While a person may experience a
headache, fatigue, anxiety, irritability, feel slightly depressed or have
difficulty concentrating after they abruptly stop intaking large amounts of
daily caffeine, they will only experience these symptoms for a day or so. However, it is incomparable to the withdrawal
of harmful drugs.
Caffeine use or lack thereof is
not going to cause a person to harm themselves or others (although many jokes
have been derived from lack of coffee). Health experts DO NOT consider caffeine
dependency to be an addiction.
You can find more information
concerning caffeine and the debunking of these myths on their website:
webmd.com/diet/caffeine-myths-and-facts
SMOKING/NICOTENE:
After only the first few times of
smoking, a person will become addicted.
Nicotine raises a person’s dopamine level (a pleasure hormone) which
causes them to crave and return to the cigarette until it has them addicted
(bound).
Some have the misconception that
an occasional cigarette won’t hurt them.
According to webmd, that is a myth.
Cigarettes contain hundreds of harmful chemicals (at least 70 of those
can cause cancer), therefore, every puff in is harming a person’s lungs, their
blood vessels, and cells throughout the body.
Many do not realize that smoking
for only a few weeks can trigger a heart attack.
The toxins in tobacco raise a
person’s risk for cancer, heart disease, and other health problems…this
includes those that claim to be ‘filtered’ or ‘light’. Even the E-cigarettes are NOT safe. They contain a harmful aerosol that they
inhale, still placing the person at risk for lung or heart disease and cancer
as well.
Smoking not only affects and puts
at risk the health of the smoker, it also puts the health of those nearby at
risk as well.
SECONDHAND SMOKE:
It is more than just an
annoyance, secondhand smoke adversely affects the health of others who are
breathing it in. Tens of thousands of nonsmokers
die each year because they’re breathing in the smoke from others.
It is gross and extremely inconsiderate
to smoke near someone. Do they not
realize or care that whoever is near to them is having to breath in what they
just breathed in then breathed out of their lungs?
Fact: Secondhand smoke can cause
immediate harm to the recipient’s heart and blood vessels.
Fact: Secondhand smoke is linked
to premature births, low-weight babies, and SIDS (sudden infant death).
Fact: Children who are exposed
are more prone to ear infections, bronchitis, and pneumonia. Children with asthma will have more frequent
and severe attacks.
A smoker is not just harming their
own body – they are harming others in a critical way!
Look on webmd.com/smoking-cessation/truth-about-smoking
for more information concerning the dangers of smoking cigarettes, whether
filtered, light, or E-cigs as well as information on the dangers of secondhand
smoke.
VAPING
Vaping is the use of a device
which heats liquid chemicals (called e-juice) into a mist that a person
breaths in like a cigarette or pipe.
The e-liquids (e-juice) may
contain marijuana or other drugs as well as nicotine which is known to be
addictive. The liquid contains dangerous
chemicals which are linked to lung disease and cancer.
Toxic metals have also been found
in the e-cig vapor. Breathing these
toxic metals in has been linked to lung, liver, immune system, and brain damage
as well as cancer.
Some liquids contain flavorings.
These flavorings have been found to damage a person’s DNA or kill cells that
line the blood vessels. Cinnamon and
menthol have been found to be the most harmful.
Vaping has been found to make
heart disease more likely.
Researchers are still looking
into what other health risks may be associated with that inhaled liquid. While they do not know all the risks
associated with its use, several have died and hundreds have contracted lung injuries
here in the U.S. Because of this, the CDC is advising to avoid using
it.
Again, for more information, go
to the website: webmd.com/smoking-cessation/ss/slideshow-vaping-body-effects
SNUFF / CHEWING TOBACCO
What is snuff? There are two types of snuff: dried (sniffed
through the nostrils) and moist (placed in the mouth).
The first thing about chewing
tobacco is that it is gross to the non-users.
The user spits this blackish liquid out of their mouth on to the ground
or into an empty soda bottle. Those who
use these products may not care how others perceive it, so we’ll look a little
more in-depth concerning its use.
Some people believe it’s a safe
alternative, however, it is not!
FACT: Snuff/Chewing Tobacco is
linked to numerous health problems and contain chemicals that are known to
cause cancer as well as nicotine (which is addictive).
FACT: Snuff/Chewing Tobacco
increases the risk of pancreatic, throat, and mouth cancers. It also increases the risk of developing leukoplakia
(small white patches in the mouth that can turn cancerous).
FACT: Snuff/Chewing Tobacco increases
the user’s heart rate and blood pressure.
Those that use it long-term are likely to die from heart disease.
FACT: Snuff/Chewing Tobacco is
addictive since it contains nicotine. Withdrawals from this product are as
difficult as that from smoking.
FACT: Snuff/Chewing Tobacco not
only increase your risk of mouth and throat cancer, but it also increases your
risk of developing other dental problems.
FACT: Chewing tobacco contains a
lot of sugar which can cause tooth decay since it’s held against the teeth. It can also scratch your teeth and irritate
your gums which increases the user’s risk of gum disease and receding or swollen
gums.
FACT: It stains the teeth and causes bad breath. It can also cause bone loss around the user’s
teeth and expose the root of the tooth, eventually causing it to fall out.
These studies have revealed there
are not any ‘safe’ tobacco products.
More information or confirmation can
be found at webmd.com/smoking-cessation/is-snuffing-tobacco-safe
CBD OIL
The oil derived from marijuana
(CBD) is gaining popularity. So much so,
that even some ‘Christians’ are promoting its use and selling it.
What is CBD? It is a chemical found in marijuana but does
not contain THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), which is the psychoactive ingredient
which produces a high.
While some doctors will prescribe
CBD as what they have found to be an effective anti-seizure medicine, they do
not know yet whether there are any other benefits or dangers from its use.
Currently, the ONLY CBD product
approved by the FDA is a PRESCRIPTION oil called Epidiolex, which is prescribed
to treat 2 types of epilepsy.
They do know that CBD carries
some risks. It can cause side effects
such as dry mouth, diarrhea, reduced appetite, nausea, drowsiness, and fatigue
as well as interfere with other medications a person may be taking (such as
blood thinners).
There is also rise for concern since
the purity and dosage varies and is unreliable between products. Many contain less CBD than what they
claim. They also found THC (the
ingredient that causes a marijuana high) in some of the products.
Further information and confirmation
can be found on mayoclinic.org.
Some sites purported that potential
risks and harms from its use include: adverse drug interactions, liver
toxicity, as well as reproductive and developmental effects. According to FDA.gov, CBD can cause liver
injury.
The only APPROVED and physician
supported usage is through a prescription for epileptic seizures. Many ‘Christians’ are promoting and selling
it as a ‘cure’ for this or a ‘remedy’ for that when there is no scientific
evidence supporting their claims at this time. There are, however, side effects
and the possible contamination of the mind-altering substance (THC) within some
of these products.
There is a reason preachers and
saints have stood against this and other mind altering drugs for all these
years. Just because the oil from marijuana
is popular and now legal in many states does not mean it is safe or good for a
person to use.
MIND ALTERING DRUGS
I believe most (or I hope)
realize the dangers of mind-altering drugs so I will not spend much time
discussing this issue. It is a well
known fact that drugs not only harm and can kill the user, but they can also
cause the user to do irrational things and harm others while under it’s
influence. This is why drug use is
illegal and those who use or sell it are sentenced to jail time.
If the law recognizes the dangers
and has outlawed their use, how much more should a Christian?
What does the Bible say?
Romans 6:16
Know ye not, that to whom ye
yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether
of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
Romans 6:12-14
Let not sin therefore
reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Neither yield ye your
members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto
God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness
unto God.
For sin shall not have
dominion over you!
1 Corinthians 3:16-17
Know ye not that ye are
the temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
If any man defile the temple
of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye
are.
We are the temple of the living
God! We are bought with a price,
therefore, we are to glorify God in our body as well as our spirit because we belong
to God. (1 Cor 6:20)
If a ‘Christian’ is wanting to
use these substances, the question needs to be asked, “Why?” Because it’s now legal? Just want to try it and see what it’s like? Why?
The usage of these substances
does not send the message to the unsaved that you are a Christian. The usage of these substances does not
glorify God. The usage of these
substances do defile and destroy our bodies which are the temple of the Living
God.
Christians, ABSTAIN from ALL APPEARANCE
of evil. (1 Thess. 5:22)
