"Can I Smoke Pot?" By Breeden and Ward. A Review.

Can I Smoke Pot?: Marijuana in Light of Scripture by Tom Breeden
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Here in Oklahoma, marijuana/cannabis was approved for medical use. It's been over six months since it was legalized for the therapeutic, with dispensaries sprouting up, sometimes two or three within half a mile from each other. In fact, the business side is becoming such a burgeoning industry it gives the impression that more than analeptic utilization is being tapped into. So I was delighted when the 112 page manuscript "Can I Smoke Pot?: Marijuana in Light of Scripture" arrived in the mail yesterday. This document is written by Tom Breeden, a pastor at Grace Community Church in Charlottesville, VA, and Mark Ward, Jr., an Academic Editor at Lexham Press, who have teamed up to give the reader an easy, enjoyable entrance into a difficult subject. The book's size, pace and lucidity will comfortably connect with teens and adults.

"Can I Smoke Pot?" has four comprehensible chapters, an afterword, and an appendix. It moves from the goodness of creation (Genesis 1-2), to the Fall (Genesis 3), through the role of governments, into the main subject of the book. There are surprises here and there, thoughtful explanations around many corners, and imperturbable illations at the end of each chapter. As to the authors' answer to the posed question, the inquisitive, investigative and interested reader will need to snatch up a copy and dive in on their own. Though I'm not sure that I agreed with the finishing observations of the book, I did appreciate the thoughtfulness with which the authors pursued their subject, and especially in the area of medical uses of marijuana. The only real downside was that the book's brevity restrained the authors from delving into the medical and scientific material, and left them to make broad generalities in crucial places.

"Can I Smoke Pot?" is highly accessible, taking me all of three hours of interrupted reading the make it through. This little booklet would be ideal for church book tables, and for handing out as homework in counseling situations. Even though I haven't come to a solid decision from Scripture on every aspect of the issue, nevertheless this is a useful, and helpful volume. I highly recommend it.

I was so excited when I stumbled across this book, and was even more elated when I asked the authors for a copy to review and they said "yes"! There were no requirements, stipulations or demands made of me. This review and these observations are all mine, freely made and freely given.


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