Marijuana Is Legal Now, in Many States. But, Legal ≠ Safe. Your Body, Your Choice.

A life coach discusses how, with legalization, comes greater responsibility for self-care and self-regulation.

As legalization of marijuana continues to spread across our nation, we need to evaluate the potential benefits vs. risks of marijuana use, for ourselves. These decisions are an integral part of our intentional self-care practices. Such practices affect four key dimensions of our well-being: physical, mental, emotional, and, spiritual health.

Based upon research studies, it appears that the safety of marijuana usage can be summarized in two words; “it depends.” Its safety appears to depend upon the type of use (medical marijuana, entheogen, or recreational use); concentration of THC; personal and family history of use; and, frequency of use.

Criminalization to Decriminalization to Legalization

Over the past four decades, there’s been a rapid and dramatic revolution in the legal status of marijuana. In that short time, we’ve moved from universal prohibition against buying, selling, using, and possessing to decriminalization and de facto legalization to legalization.

Today, medical marijuana is legal in 40 states and recreational marijuana is legal in 24 states. Ironically, over 80 years after the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 prohibited its sale because illicit sellers were not paying sales tax, states’ budget deficits are partially responsible for the movement towards controlled distribution of marijuana, to generate substantial tax revenues.

If the war on drugs has taught us anything, it's that we can't rely on our federal or local governments to keep us safe from drugs (drug overdoses and drug-related deaths are on the rise); to dole out fair and equal justice for drug users (criminals are unfairly punished and minorities’ sentences are more frequent and harsher); or to effectively target drug cartels and incarcerate drug dealers over drug users (see drugwarfacts.org's Drug War Facts report).

Legal ≠ Safe

Since alcohol prohibition ended on December 5, 1933, alcohol has been widely available to folks of drinking age. Of course, alcohol is consumed safely by millions of Americans — in social settings and in moderation. According to the CDC’s report, “Heavy Drinking Among U.S. Adults, 2018” (see cdc.gov), “two-thirds (66.3%) of adults age 18 and over consumed alcohol in the past year. Among adults aged 18 and over, 5.1% engaged in heavy drinking (consumption of more than 14 alcoholic drinks per week for men or more than 7 drinks per week for women in the past year…. Each year, the economic impact of alcohol abuse in the USA costs taxpayers an estimated $249 billion and claims an estimated 100,000 lives.” The alcohol.org reports that "Drinking too much over time can cause chronic physical and mental health issues. Heavy drinking can cause or contribute to liver damage, cardiovascular disease, and multiple types of cancer."

Therefore, whether or not a substance is legal, should not determine your comfort in using it. Higher risk sub-groups, such as those genetically predisposed children of alcoholics; families with a history of using drugs as a coping mechanism; persons under age 25 whose prefrontal cortexes are not fully developed; or persons with a personal or family history of mental health issues should be especially careful. Research indicates that heavy or high-potency cannabis use can trigger acute psychotic breaks. According to the National Institutes of Health, such episodes of suddenly losing touch with reality significantly raise the risk of developing chronic lifelong disorders such as schizophrenia.

Medical Marijuana and CBD

There’s substantial evidence that medical marijuana can help treat various conditions: Alzheimer’s disease, appetite loss, cancer, Crohn’s disease, HIV/AIDS, Multiple Sclerosis, eating disorders, epilepsy, glaucoma, mental health conditions like schizophrenia and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, muscle spasms, nausea, pain, and seizures, according to webmd.com's Medical Marijuana: What Does It Treat?

CBD is an essential component of medical marijuana. It’s derived directly from hemp, the cousin of the marijuana plant, and doesn’t get its users high. There are seven health benefits of CBD oil that are backed by scientific evidence: 1) pain relief; 2) reduce anxiety and depression; 3) reduce symptoms related to cancer and the side effects of cancer treatment (i.e., nausea, vomiting, pain); 4) reduce acne; 5) neuro protection; 6) heart health; and, other potential benefits, including reduction of psychotic symptoms, substance abuse treatment, anti-tumor effects, and diabetes prevention. (healthily.com) If you suffer from a disease or disorder that may be helped by medical marijuana or CBD, consult your doctor.

Use of Marijuana as an Entheogen

The use of entheogen for religious, magical, shamanic, and spiritual purposes began in ancient cultures across the world. Cannabis is one of the most widely used entheogens, with evidence of its use dating back thousands of years. As far as I know, it’s the only entheogen that’s legal in some states. Other entheogens include: psilocybin, morning glory, mescaline/peyote, opium poppy, DMT (used in preparation of ayahuasca), LSD, and DPT.

Since the use of marijuana as an entheogen is likely to be infrequent, its risks are less often related to creating drug dependence or doing bodily harm. Is it an effective entheogen? People who use mind-altering drugs for spiritual purposes use it to change their current reality, open a portal to a different reality, and change their perception. Not only does marijuana increase extrasensory perception, it affects your spirituality by helping you become more open to the perspective of the fourth dimension. Are you comfortable with the idea of being “out of control” in order to explore an alternative state of consciousness? Supervised experimental studies are being conducted at one of our nation’s leading hospitals. If you’re contemplating using marijuana as entheogen or other entheogens, you should consult your physician or mental health professional.

Potential Risks of Marijuana for Recreational Use

As I candidly discuss in my published book, The Gift: Trauma to Triumph, after personal tragedy, I self-medicated with marijuana. While some drugs mask pain, the problem is that our brains begin to rely on them. Consequently, we lose our inherent ability to cope, without substances. It doesn’t happen all at once, so it’s difficult to detect. I was fortunate to be so advised by the past director of the Institute of Core Energetics, Warren D. Moe, MS, CCEP. Furthermore, I was blessed to receive the advice and guidance of Sarah Simms, PhD, a New York City-based psychotherapist and drug recovery specialist, who worked with patient groups at Phoenix House for over a decade.

What’s most appalling about the poorly regulated $89-137 billion global legal marijuana industry (2026) is its recklessness concerning the massive increase in THC potency, according to Mahmoud A. Elsohly’s 2014 Potency Monitoring Program. In 1960, the mean THC content was 0.2%. In 2010, when it was made legal in Colorado, the mean THC content was 10%. By 2015, the mean THC content was about 20%. By 2020, some THC concentrates (oils, waxes, and vape products) reached potencies of 90% or more. Is it any wonder that people are experiencing psychotic breaks with devastating consequences? It bears repeating … legal ≠ safe.

If you’re interested in learning about the potentially slippery slope of drug use, I recommend singer-songwriter David Crosby’s candid 2019 documentary of self-examination, David Crosby: Remember My Name.

Some research concludes that marijuana can improve quality of life. Marijuana users tend to have a lower body mass index, making them less likely to develop diabetes or become obese. A Harvard Medical School study revealed that, in small doses, pot can balance off anxiety effects. Also, people under the influence of marijuana tend to be more creative, have better verbal fluency, and more divergent thinking. Jonathan P. Caulkins’ “The Real Dangers of Marijuana,” (see nationalaffairs.com) provides a comprehensive discussion on topic, pointing to the potential dangers of marijuana, especially on still-developing brains and amongst frequent users.

Healing Soul Wounds

For this past decade, I’ve been a student of overcoming tragedy, trauma, and psychic pain. In 5 soul wounds and the ego masks, Agata Dzierzawa identifies: rejection; abandonment; humiliation; betrayal; and injustice (ajourneytoyourself.com). Other soul wounds are caused by personal trauma, collective trauma, and intergenerational trauma. I’ve learned that time does not heal all wounds. We must. But, we can’t heal ourselves until we release our bitterness and un-forgiveness. Amongst the most powerful tools that I've stumbled upon for achieving personal transformation are self-love, forgiveness, gratitude, kindness, and giving. I’ve turned to meditation, breathing, and yoga; positive self-talk; and nature walks, shinrin yoku, effortless mindfulness, and other awe-inspiring practices. I’ve made a conscious choice to live my life more in the moment, rather than ruminating about the past or worrying about the future helped me reduce anxiety.

On my journey to transformative personal growth and spiritual awakening, I was surprised at how powerful something as simple as positive self-talk can be. Meditation and meditation mudras have the power to heal our body, calm our mind, and even rewire our brain for greater happiness, creativity, and love. Expressing gratitude improves mental, physical, relational well-being, and happiness. The act of forgiveness can reap huge rewards for your health, including: lowering the risk of heart attack; improving cholesterol levels and sleep; and reducing pain, blood pressure, and levels of anxiety, depression, and stress. Nature walks and shinrin yoku (forest bathing) is good for both physical and mental wellbeing. These practices have proven to reduce stress hormone production, improve feelings of happiness, and free up creativity, as well as lower heart rate and blood pressure, boost the immune system, and accelerate recovery from illness. If you're intrigued by the power of disciplined, self-regulated, intentional self-care practices, but seek support in your journey, a skilled life coach may assist you with practices that improve all aspects of your life (see coachburton.com). Whether you go it alone or with help, self-care requires that you do the work. Be patient with yourself. Personal growth takes time. But, YOU are well worth the effort.

Summary

Whether or not a drug is legal is not necessarily an indication of whether it’s safe or wise to use. Type, history, and frequency of marijuana use are important determining factors. There’s substantial evidence that medical marijuana and CBD can provide certain health benefits. When used as an entheogen, there’s evidence that marijuana can open the door to spiritual growth. When used occasionally for recreational use, science says that marijuana is relatively safe, but it’s potentially harmful to youth whose brains are still-developing and to frequent users. It’s important to realize that the legality of substances doesn’t negate our responsibility to use them wisely. We each must live our lives in accordance with our own beliefs and with the knowledge that our actions have consequences. The goal of a contemplative mind is to find complete peace and total happiness, by living authentic lives, in accordance with our life purpose. Isn’t that what thriving is all about?

In Memoriam

This article is dedicated to my mother, Esther Penney Fischler, a devoted wife for 74 years, a loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, and an educator. Penney, the name by which most of her friends and students knew her, was an eishet chayil (a woman of valor). She taught religious and Hebrew school on Long Island, New York and in Palm Beach County, Florida for over 35 years. But, even outside the classroom, Penney was a great listener and conversationalist, an eager learner, and a dedicated teacher, intent on making her contribution to tikkun olam (repair of the world).

Mom always encouraged me to rely on my inner strength, rather than turning to drugs. As I grew older, I came to realize that mom’s emphatic and endless outcry, in favor of natural well-being, was partly due to her father’s and brother’s struggles with Huntington’s Ataxia, a debilitating neurological disease. Although she never used words like holistic or well-being, my mom lived her life focused on mind, body, and spirit.

“May her memory be for a blessing.” That Jewish expression is wishing for the creation of future blessings as a logical consequence of the way that the person conducted their life; it’s not merely a reference to our appreciation of their memory. May it be that everyone we interact with inspire and generate acts of loving kindness in all of us. Mom would like that. And, I know, as she reads this article, her spirit is smiling.