I went to a pub recently to watch a band, and when I was in the bathroom I overheard a conversation which, by all definitions, was a paradox. First, the girls were talking about watching their drinks so they don't get spiked with some kind of drug, and in the next minute they talked about taking Ecstasy and that they were going to take it again later that night.

These girls were not Pagan from what I could tell, and I know I should be wary of judging them. In addition, I know I'm no innocent in some matters. But drug and alcohol use and how it is affected by the Wiccan Rede is a question I've seen asked several times, so I would like to address it here.

I will admit that I drink and that I smoke on occasion. Anything else, well, since this is a public website I plead the Fifth, just in case. (I'm not one to hide anything, but I believe in the phrase, "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say will be mis-quoted and used against you.") I am also over 21 years old (23 in June 2001) and do drink for enjoyment, not just to get wasted.

When it comes to practicing Wicca (i.e. holding a ritual), I stay sober, and I think it's an important practice. When you raise energy for a specific goal, you want to be in total control over that energy. Alcohol and drugs take away your control and you could open a floodgate that you are not able to handle. If anyone says, "Oh, but a drink or two won't hurt!"...bull. Whether or not you feel it, inside your body your reactions, synapses, and energy are slowed. You really want your body and mind to be at peak efficiancy. Yes, some use wine in their rituals, but remember that the simple feast often comes after the focus of the ritual.

And of course, there are those that will use the excuse that hallucinogenic drugs have been used in religious settings for centuries. Yes--but under strict guidance and supervision. Michael Harner's The Way of the Shaman gives his account in one of the chapters of his experience with ayahuasca in a religious setting. Not only did he have the leader (medicine man) administer the drug to him, but he was also the only one to take it on that occasion, and they had several people watching over him at the time. Even if you have one person in the group who remains sober to watch over the rest, it is still an overwhelming situation and unfair to that person in case trouble arises.

As for alcohol and drug use in your personal lives, *sigh* I have even less of a right to make judgments. I am not anyone's babysitter or parole officer, so it is up to your own judgment on what you do. But for those who claim to be Wiccan, please consider a few things:

Wicca is a way of life, not just something you do on the weekends, esbats, or sabbats and then drop it at all other times. Treating it as a game is very insulting.

Since it is a way of life, that means the Rede does not translate to, "Do what you want...but harm none when you feel like it or remember this part of the Rede."

Most importantly, "Harm none" includes yourself.

I am not saying this to be straight-edge and tell people to abstain from every vice in the world, but just be smart about it. I've read posts from a 14-year-old girl who was complaining of a hangover after getting completely drunk and smoking pot the night before. I can't say I had much sympathy for her. In addition, she said she almost had sex with a guy there. I repeat, she's 14. Nothing she can say could convince me that she's not harming herself.

For those of you in college, by all means have fun. Relax and party a bit. I did and still do. Just be careful and consider your actions before you go too far. Wicca is not an excuse to lose control.

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