no!
its obvious these things burn brain cells and corrupt the mind. i dont know about everyone else but i personally would like to be 100% attentive when experiencing anything mystical or supernatural. a very close friend smokes marijuana on a regualr basis and i have seen first hand what this has done to his attention span. no thanks!
Zurvan
Date Added: 1-22-01

I believe that everyone has their own choice to make. If a person decides to intake drugs, that is their decision, they are doing it to their own body. No one should be thrown in jail for what they do to themselves, that's moronic. I, personally, don't intake drugs before or during ritual, but ya know, it's all up to you, just like everyone has said. Also, man-made? BLAH that's all I have to say for that.... =)
Date Added: 1-22-01

According to Scott Cunningham and others, the first law of the craft, "harm none," applies to yourself as well as others. Yes, I know these drugs have been used by indiginous cultures for time out of mind, but it has been proven that with proper meditation and visualization our minds can attain the same altered state without risking harm to our bodies. Besides, how can you know for sure that someone leading a ceremony in which these drugs play a part know what they're doing, or how these drugs will interact with any medical conditions you have or medications that you may be taking? My advice is, DON'T!
Bright Blessings,
Kaelyn
Date Added: 1-22-01

Of course this is my personal opinion.... Natural drugs, "fake" drugs, how ever you care to put it, it's up to you. There are very few truly "man-made" substances. Altered by man yes, man loves to play with stuff. I don't use marijuana because it makes me sick, but my teachers in the Craft did occasionally and they are some of the strongest people I know. As someone mentioned earlier, there are others herbs that do the same things that aren't illegal. And the reason pot is illegal, as someone else mentioned, is money. The medical uses of ANY plant should be explored and used. I think (that being the important part) that if they help you in ritual, fine. If you don't want to use them, just as fine. Everyone should follow their hearts, their minds and the Rede when making this decision. Just felt the need to add my 2 cents worth. Blessed be all
Date Added: 12-11-00

High! Merry ye Meet!
Blessed be to all the natural drug users and non users! I think it's entirely up to the individual. After all, if each of us follows our own paths, who's got the all knowing power to say that using "natural drugs" like weed etc.. are wrong. Look at the Native Americans. Other religions also have followers who believe in consuming alcobol or drugs as part of ceremony or ritual. Now, I wouldn't offer pot to my daughter.

But I don't see how anyone else should be saying it's wrong IN GENERAL, ON PRINCIPLE. Maybe it's just right for some and wrong for others. We are not to judge.

An it harm none, do what thou whilst. Remember the Rule of Three :)
Date Added: 12-11-00

where to begin on such an emotive subject, well i think natural drugs are of use to us. i use weed often, and have used mushies (used to be yearly until i had my babies) and peyote, all were of use to me...

i have also used man-made drugs (the easieast to abuse) i.e LSD, speed, E etc and there really is no comparison... natural definately, man-made definately no more (well just look at this earth to see what man-made can do!!) (sorry man is meant generically and is not meant to offend)

i would not advocate regular use of any drug, however where the weed is concerned it is a different matter, the plant speaks for it self... so versatile it makes paper, textiles for almost all uses. It heals bodily ailments, alleviated pain and dis-ease, and aids astral work, some types of meditation etc etc etc.. it works on all realms and levels

it is a sign of our imbalanced world where we have to continually analyse, everything, even the very things given to us by the lord and lady to do with as we will an it harm none!

i live in england where it is still a criminal offence to smoke, possess, distribute weed, in my opinion the only thing wrong with most drugs is the majortiy of the people we have to associate with to get them.

sorry if i'm rambling i'm stoned
Blessed be
silver doe

nb* heroin although natural, has effects which seen often unnatural i have seen many friends submit to it's lies, how can we remove the problem. legalise weed, buy from developing asian farmers who are probably growing, harvesting and selling heroin, something so deadly, and let them grow hemp to sell to the paper mills (save the trees) to the textile industry, etc. hemp could be grown, harvested and sold legally and benefit many in developing countries, (i know simplistic and just another cash crop exploitation of third world countries - but its just an idea, that why i'm not in politics!)
Date Added: 12-11-00

i think drugs are bad for people. marajunia can kill you, along with making u relaxed. u should only smoke it when u have cancer. and the only reason then to give u appetite
Date Added: 12-11-00

I know what I think. You know what you think. Don't tell me what to do and I won't tell you- OK? But come on - do we really need to imprison anyone for smoking a bone? Harm none- so mote it be.
Date Added: 12-11-00

-- regarding the marijuana question:
I'm a British witch and there are many drugs that aren't legislated against in this country for various reasons - psilocybin mushrooms ('liberty caps') for instance are legal unless they are prepared in some way. However this doesn't reduce the stigma associated with them in mainstream society. This made me ask whether early books were entirely honest when they said that modern witches didn't condone the use of mind altering substances - the precedent for hallucinogen use is very strong what with flying ointments made of belladonna alkaloids and so on. Anyway, does it matter? It is up to every individual to decide what

'an it harm none, do as ye will' means to them, and this is the only real law of witchcraft; by asking whether 'witches should do this or that' you are in danger of creating a doctrine of 'approved ideas' and this is only one step away from a dogma, which is one of the things a lot of witches spent a lot of time and effort trying to avoid.
Date Added: 12-11-00

Why is it that something our Heavenly Father created ( Pot ) is a no-no in everyone eye's , but something that is man made ( alcohol ) is A-Okay? I think that its really messed up that all of our law officials are out there chasing us "potheads" down and arresting us , when they should be spending more time ( and money ) catching all the real "Bad guys" ( murderer's , rapist , politicians ,lol ) . But thats just my point of view . Just another "Pee-on-pothead".

That's why I say on Nov. 4th we need a man like Ted "fuckin'" Nugent in the White ( Green House ????? ) House . But thats just my point of view.

We need Ted . We need pot . we need our freedom back . What do you say ???? I say "pass that joint you bogart". Almighty , we are free at last.
Date Added: 12-11-00

I feel that if u want to do drugs than that is your decision thats it. if u know the effects and wind up bein a crack head than 2 bad for u
Date Added: 12-11-00

I believe No one has the right to tell me what I can or cant smoke! It is my choice to smoke marijuana,I don't have to have a reason.I am not a criminal,low life,or a gangster thug.In moderation,natural drugs can heighten your spiritual enlightenment.The Indians did it for centuries
Date Added: 12-11-00

i would have to say no. when you use mind altering drugs (even natural ones) you "train" your mind/body to perform the chosen task only when under their influence. you will find it difficult to do what it is you do while "under the influence" when you are sober. it is best to find other ways to relax and then perform. through my experience majicks done while on drugs are harder to "control", by this i mean they are more likely to have adverse affects or the end effect will be "cock-eyed", not end up the way you wanted it to, or just won't work. also your judgment won't be what it should and you may end up doing something you will regret.

when it comes to psyonics and drugs you may find it difficult to stop yourself from going to far. this can be a serious problem in dream & astral walking.you may find you will need help to return because you won't be able to do it your self. if this happens you help will have to enter the relm you've entered, find you, and guide you out. it's not an easy thing to find some one specific in the astral relm. you also may not be able to fully handle what you find in those relms while on drugs.
Date Added: 12-11-00

Yes marijuana is a natural substance and doesn't seem to be as bad as cigarettes and it is a lot better than chemical drugs. I was a fluent pot smoker for 5 years. I quit and now have been clean for almost a year. I relate to how most smokers feel about marijuana. I was appalled by an Aussie girl who said that it wasn't bad. With marijuana, just like cigarettes, you inhale a large amount of smoke and these particles cling to the inside of your lungs and clog up your bronchioles, preventing you from breathing properly. The feeling of not being able to breathe when you are high is the closing of your breathing tubes, not just you being high. I do believe that marijuana should be legalized for medical reasons only. I am not against smoking pot. But, I do wish that people who think that smoking marijuana is not bad should do their homework. You are putting an unknown substance into your body. If you believe "If it harm none, do as ye will" and smoke pot or do other drugs, you ARE harming yourself and you are not true to your beliefs.
Date Added: 12-11-00

I felt that I had to post something on the page you had about drugs and Wicca...

I've been a Witch for 8 years now, and have been in a coven for 4 of them. I've studied hard many techniques of self-exploration, awareness, energy-raising, and magick without the use of drugs and have become most adept at them. Having felt by this point ready to take my consciousness further, I sought to blaze new trails.

Then, one afternoon, a trusted friend and an elder in my coven invited me to partake of Psilocybin Cubensis (that's 'shrooms to you, bubba) with him. He said he would take care of me every step of the way to curb my nervousness, to hold a candle as I walked into an unknown world.

I took the mushrooms with reverence, appreciating that they were a gift from Gaia, sprouted from her breast, and a link to her memory and knowledge. None of this, "lets trip out and party" attitude was held; I wanted the mushrooms to be a teacher to me.

During the seven hours I tripped, I was able to see the magick in everything, to see and sense Gaia's handiwork as my spiritual eyes and my physical eyes merged. The winds whispered secrets and wisdom (and even revealed my magickal name to me, which I had been searching out for years). Every pulse of the earth's heart was felt by me at once, and the holy intricate and delicate web of life around me became more clear and more apparent than ever. I discovered deeply about myself, seeing such things as the spirit animals that guide me, the demons that hold me bound that I must fight off, and, most importantly, I saw firsthand the spark of divinity within myself and within my coven elder.

I came down off the trip and now see the world with wider eyes, appreciating more and understanding more. Gaia's love and magick is everywhere, and She gave us the gift of magick mushroom to open our minds to experience it directly. If you choose to partake of the sacred shroom, do it in reverence and in respect. It is not a party drug; it is a great teacher.
Date Added: 12-11-00

No, I absolutely think that they are a crutch and not necessary . . . which would be okay, but now that we now the harmful affects of these plants, we ought to avoid them . . . the myth that marijuana and other"natural" drugs are harmless is just that, a myth. Remember, people used to think cocaine was fairly harmless. Marijuana affects your brain and I believe is a carcinogen . . . I'm not sure, but anyway it has multiple harmful affects as does tobacco and other drugs that were once used ritually, people who doubt it should research the side effects, just like they would a medication. These plants are poisons.
Date Added: 12-11-00

I don't have anything against pot, and I know how altered reality can sometimes make the ordinary seem more real and viberant. But I don't think it's a good idea to use drugs in ritual, because it's a spiritual experience and I feel I personally would want to experience the Lord and Lady without having my mind all fucked up. I feel that a person should be cleansed before ritual just as the space is, and that it's kind of disrespectful if you're not.
Date Added: 12-11-00

To the marijuana question: This topic has been on my mind for over a year now. I have smoked pot for recreation and the buzz for about 15 years now, with my usage increasing every year. I have also been practicing candle magic and other rituals for about 9 or 10 years sometimes with great success, sometimes not so great success. One year ago, I influenced by some friends who joined AA and decided to give up pot and alcohol both. After listining to their stories of how much better they felt without marijuana in their systems, how much healthier they felt, more energy, etc. etc. , I decided to take the plunge and give up the pot too. The first few days are edgy but it's not that bad and doesn't take that long. It's kinda like cigarettes in that it's mostly a hand/place/time habit more than anything else. Do something else with that time and it passes quickly.

What was amazing was how my abilities swept over in me in a flood once my system was clean. My mediations were deeper, my prayers more effective and rituals successful! My physic has been telling me for years that I didn't need her, that I could do better readings on my own, but I never could find the talent or insight when I tried. Yet she insisted that I was very physic, that the skills were already there. Well, I'm here to tell you, she was 100% right! My intuition went on overdrive, filling me with revelations and insights before hidden and talents once cloaked. It was very intense. Every day I was aware of more and more around me. Presences, auras, other peoples thoughts and intentions, incredible prophetic dreams. It truly was amazing how my skills just "popped out" all over the place once my body was clean of drugs. I had only had glimpses of these abilities before and then BOOM there they were! I wish I had the space to tell of everything that happened. It was all quite amazing!

The fact that pot had been blocking me was hard to deal with because I'm very much the liberal thinker and don't think pot should be illegal. It should be used for medicine and people shouldn't be jailed soley on a small marijauna charge. Yet now I know for a fact that it does block some of our finer points from developing, at least for me but I suspect for many many others as well. So the answer is if you truly want to develop your skills, no don't smoke pot.

Picture this - a coven is having a ritual, they are using marijuana or whatever, they all go to jail, the headlines read - Local Witches Drug Ring. Do we need this? There are many herbal 'smokes' available that (though I have yet to use any) I am sure would produce the same effects as marijuana. Individually, people choose their own lives. Many current psychologists blame the drug trends in this country on the lack of spirituality - drug use and addiction resulting from people trying to fill the hole in their lives where spirituality is missing. If this has any validity, then drug/alcohol use could really screw up someone's growth within the craft. Personally I hope to achieve enlightened states thru the spirits intervention and meditation techniques. One responder said drugs can help us see the Fey. If I saw them while on drugs I would simply consider it a hallucination, if I saw them otherwise I would know they had truly visited. However, to each her own. If I do get some herbal 'smoke' I will simply burn it as incense, not roll it up and inhale it all. If the spirit is in the substance this should be sufficient to release it. I can hardly imagine bringing my daughter to a ritual and handing her a joint! To all who are here and trying to make a decision - be careful, anything you do not grow yourself or buy from a reputable herb store can be dangerous. love to all

I'm a 23 year olf Aussie girl and find that like all other humans, whether it be chocolate, sugar, coke, cigarettes, alcohol, or hard drugs, we all need some kind of escape.

You had a lot of good points, but I feel that you had negative thoughts because of your friend that died of a cardiac arrest. Believe me, I am sorry. I have also lost a couple of friends to overdoses, but I think that basically we should all keep our opinions to ourselves.

Some people don't drink coffee, because of the bad effects, or meat because of bad effects, but we don't say anything to these people we just take their word. Why not with certain DRUGS? It is basically a personal opinion.

I am hoping that in about 20-30 years, my mother's generation will be older (around 60-70) and my age people will be running the world, so therefore we all know that MARAJUANA is not bad, infact, as you say, it is a spiritually highteneing drung, therefore we can legalise it in around 2020!!!!!!!!!!

We should be planning a Huge party now. I believe this will change in time.

MULL-PIG

I have really enjoyed your site and I understand some reasoning behind people not wanting to use marijuana. Harm none do what ye will. If you were to study about marijuana you will find that it does virtually no damage, only if smoked(as with ALL plants). Aspirin has damaging side effects and is sold over the counter where as Marijuana causes you to get hungry, sleepy, and gives you cotton mouth. It is actually a healthy alternative to many prescribtion drugs. I will not go into all(*which are few) of Marijuanas side effects but they follow the same path and really do no harm. Abuse in any form is bad, and as long as you do not abuse marijuana(a non addicting natural drug) I see no harm in it. It helps to rebuild your immune system and helps many in astral projection. The Goddess and God have given use this wonderful plant for a reason. Cigaretts cause immense damage to many different parts of your body, yet no one sees anything wrong with them. Marijuana if eaten or put into a drink causes ZERO DAMAGE, other than cotton mouth, hunger ect.

Man Made Drugs=bad Goddess/God(Natural)=Good

All I guess I really need to say is ANYone who thinks that Natural Drugs are bad need to do their HOMEWORK. Not just one or two internet sites. Really do your homework. Hightimes Has an excellent site and magazine that helps to clear up the truth about this drug, and many others. I say make a list of Marijuana's side effects and those of your heart medicine or any prescribtion drug for that matter.

I do hope that none of this came out sounding bad I just wish that more people would learn anout this drug that they HATE so much. Do not ever forget that when you are walking down the street and a group of people cross the road because of your pentacle, that you are doing the same thing when you speak poorly of something that you have not researched. Whether or not you choose to use Marijuana after learning the facts is up to you, but I believe that once you've seen the truth you will at least accept those of us who choose to partake of this plant.

Thank you,

I think it's alright. Sometimes after my day has been hectic, it aids me to relaxation needed for meditation and energy sending. It is contrary to say that downers sap energy. They do not. They promote relaxation, not create tiredness, at least for me. I don't take hallucinogenic drugs. I do however take codeine on occasion. I believe if the individual is content with themselves, it's OK. Like I have heard many times since exploring the craft, every person's path isn't the same one. Like the same car isn't perfect for every person on earth. To say a person is "Wrong" for doing something that they do, only because it doesn't fit into your particular walk or path, only serves to inflict your views onto another. Judging in that form I believe sends harmful energy out and can attract other harmful energy. An ye harm none. Remember? Live and let live!!

nope. i dont think a should use um. i have NO experiance with them, but if you have to use drugs to get to the state of mind you whant, then, not only will you never know if it's you or the drugs doing it, but what if you need to acive that state of conciousness and dont have the d@mned stuff? you MIGHT not be able to do it.

it is up to the person doing the ritual, meditation, ect., but it is merly my opinion that that stuff, while some are compleatly capable of controling them selvs, can be very addicting, and eventualy cetch up to you(like everyting else..... "no matter how fast a runer you are") most the people in my school are either smoking cigeretts, or moved up to somthing like weed, 'shrooms, coke, whatever. i'm 13, and i can tell you this for certain, they dont know what they're doing, or why. thay basicly do it casue its "cool"(or, whatever) and i have never seen some of them give an uninfluanced reply to a question(either that or most the jocks at my school are just plain mentaly retarded.

if you need this stuff to beenlightned, you'd better pray to the God and Goddess that you can remeber what it was you were enlightened about! but........ that's just my opinion............
mery part, L.S.E.G.W.

I feel that it should be the individuals right to use natural drugs, but make it like alcohol and you can only do it at home.

There are many ways to get to where one needs to go. Natural drugs provide the easy route. The hard route is learning to get there without the drugs. I think that drugs for recreational purposes is wrong. "In the olden days" these natural drugs were used only in relation to ritual or in healing. Much preparation and consuling and ritual was given before the use of the drug in ritual. This is normally not done anymore and I think that is wrong. Also drugs were not as freely available as they are today. Much prepartory work to make the drug ready to use was done. Now all it takes is $10-$40 and you have your "high." I personally do not use drugs in ritual and having been in a coven with numerous small children we decided that drug use was out. This was not because of the laws, it was because we felt young children should be taught how to get there themselves. We felt that if they saw us using drugs then they would think there was a double standard.

Hi. Or high, whichever you prefer. I see no problem w/ using natural drugs, if you use them in a safe and mature manner. I've known of a few people who flipped out on them, but as I said, if you're responsible and don't use them just to get f***ed up, hey. You have my blessing, not that you need it. But may I say, it's all those people who use & abuse them that've screwed it up for those who seek to use them for personal & spirital growth. So to everyone who wishes to use them in ritual, etc...I'm glad you're happy. Please don't get caught. Help fight the prohibition, so that they may be used in good ways. Brightest Blessings. Peace Out.