Marijuana is illegal in the United States. Because of this, it’s been very easy for churches to preach and teach against its use for decades. However, while the Feds are still keeping it illegal, more and more states around the nation are legalizing it. And now US health officials have spoken. The FDA has finally approved the first cannibus-made (marijuana) prescription drug.
On Monday of this week, the FDA approved a drug created by GW Pharmaceuticals made from cannibus. The drugs may be used to “treat two rare forms of childhood epilepsy.” On the surface, this appears to be a very good thing. God makes a plant, scientists use said plant to make the world a healthier place. However, it’s hard to stop preaching against something large groups of people have been telling themselves is bad for decades.
In Utah, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), the largest and best known of the 100+ Mormon denominations, is doubling their efforts to stop marijuana legalization. This is their home state; their denomination was created in 1851, after the largest group to come out of the succession crisis after the death of their prophet founder; and his original church reached the Salt Lake valley. They have already had one embarrassing moment in history when their home state brought the end to prohibition. When the United States started the “Great Experiment,” the LDS church made their “Word of Wisdom” a temporal commandment — required to obey as defined by the church to gain admittance to their temples and to be baptized. They do not wish to see this, being that they tout marijuana as a gateway drug:
“A college student hoping to repent of some serious mistakes and straighten out his life told me only a few days ago of an influence which, for a time, controlled his life. His desire to have some expert ski equipment encouraged him to accept a job on Sundays and evenings. This prevented him from attending priesthood and other Sunday meetings. Now he was too tired to attend early morning seminary. With his new, fancy ski equipment, he made the high school team and made some new friends. To be “with it,” he started to smoke and soon moved to marijuana and from marijuana to LSD. His father and mother now appeared old-fashioned to him. He moved from his parents’ home to live with his newfound friends in an old house. The house had extra rooms, so they invited a young lady—also on drugs—to move in. His father tried to visit him, to communicate through letters. But this young man now felt completely disenchanted with church and home. After these tragic mistakes, he finally came to his senses and moved home with his parents. He told me, ‘The devil seemed to be in charge of my life.’”
-David B. Haight, “Power of Evil,” 1973
Of course, marijuana isn’t a gateway drug. Yet, they are not alone in their opposition. Christianity Today condemns the use of medical marijuana because of the negative cultural image it creates. “Pot smoking has long been associated with ‘slackers’—zoned out, disengaged, pleasure-seeking rebels always in search of a high,” they say. Of course, as Christians, we really aren’t supposed to be judging others, and the change in culture will lead to changes in the way we see marijuana use. But for now, it’s still an “evil.” Maybe in 5 years when society in general doesn’t look at pot users like this, they won’t either? Only time will tell.
Meanwhile, the church that had to eventually apologize for imprisoning Galileo for telling us the earth was orbiting around the sun seems to be okay with the progress:
“Compassionate use of marijuana for medical reasons has proven immensely effective, helping patients with chronic diseases, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis spasms, bipolar disorder, relieving nausea associated with chemotherapy, and serving as an appetite stimulant for AIDS patients.”
-U.S. Catholic, “Should we legalize marijuana?,” 2010
The reality is that this has been a long time coming. While opponents of marijuana have sold the plant as a vicious drug, studies have proven that it’s on par with alcohol, and likely less dangerous. Society is good with people lighting up. The “Great Experiment” of keeping the prohibition of marijuana going is finally going up in flames.