Our immediate impulse to pass a law against that which we oppose suggests we see the state as our god. It alone, we seem to reason, has the power to curb this evil or that. In God’s economy, however, there are many things we ought to oppose which at the same time we ought to oppose laws against those things. God did not give the state the power of the sword to punish all evil doings. We want our children to eat right. Do we, however, want to pay a fine for giving them too many cookies? We oppose coveting. We don’t call 911 when our neighbor confesses he envies our F-150 truck.
Civil laws, as God designed them, are not created to keep us from harming ourselves. Nor do they exist to police our feelings. It is not just or righteous for the state to prohibit its citizens from harming themselves with substances designed to impact their feelings. Some might wish for a world where alcohol is prohibited. Surely one can make a strong case that lots of bad things can be traced back to alcohol as a contributing factor. I get that. I’m not, however, arguing that marijuana use is a positive good for a given culture.
The same would be true, however, of tobacco, or nicotine. Precious few of us want to see tobacco outlawed. Whether we poll current users, former users or never users. A nasty habit? Yes, I believe most would agree. Unhealthy, to be sure. A leading contributor to millions of deaths, no doubt. A net cultural negative? Absolutely. A reason to put people in jail? I think not.
A different substance stands atop the heap of mood altering drugs around the world. Caffeine. Cue the sound of millions of toes being stepped on. Christians are expected to laugh when someone makes note of their caffeine withdrawal symptoms. Worse still, few of us behave in a Christ-like manner when going through caffeine withdrawal.
I’m not suggesting that the impact of illicit drugs like marijuana is equal to the impact of coffee and cigarettes. Rather I’m seeking to unpack and apply principles. We should be able to agree that a. “bad for you” is not sufficient reason to outlaw something and b. “bad things indirectly happen to other people” is not a sufficient reason to outlaw something. For all the destruction wrought by it, legal or otherwise, marijuana doesn’t meet the standard. Behaviors influenced by it often do. Which is why it is right to outlaw behaviors destructive to others, not outlaw the consumption of a plant.
Should Christians partake? We can’t argue that any substance that impacts a person’s mood makes that substance biblically illegitimate. The Scripture itself tells us that wine gladdens the heart (Psalm 104:15). It forbids drunkenness, but not a gladdened heart. Marijuana, on the other hand, I would argue, while relative amounts may create relative highs, doesn’t come with the kind of gentle heart gladdening that wine does. One can enjoy a glass of wine and be well clear of drunkenness. One cannot get stoned while being well clear of being stoned.
I take both of these positions, no, marijuana should not be illegal and no, Christians should not use it, loosely. While I do not partake of marijuana, alcohol, nicotine or caffeine I do confess that ice cream alters my mood, always in a positive direction. On the other hand, I hold fast to the truth that it is not a biblical function of government to make sure people don’t harm themselves. A little wisdom goes a long way.
I really appreciate RC’s measured and thoughtful approach to this issue. It’s refreshing to see a careful distinction between what the state should criminalize and what falls under Christian liberty and personal wisdom.
I can certainly relate to the ice cream analogy — I should probably be on Häagen-Dazs’ Christmas card list, given how substantially I’ve contributed to their bottom line over the years!
I also applaud the appeal to wisdom here. Having liberty in Christ gives us wonderful freedom to enjoy so much of what God has created, but it’s always good to bear in mind that while all things may be lawful for me, I should not be mastered by anything. That principle of self-control and not being enslaved to any created thing is such a helpful guardrail.
Thank you for the gracious and biblical reflection.
Christians should not call bondage liberty. There is no freedom in anything that clouds judgment, masters the body, or opens the door to addiction. Scripture calls believers to sobriety, self-control, and clear-mindedness, not dependence on substances. And the medical literature is not neutral here: cannabis is associated with increased risk of psychosis, paranoia, and schizophrenia-spectrum illness, especially with heavier use, high-THC exposure, and vulnerable individuals; alcohol is a known carcinogen and is causally linked to breast cancer in women and multiple cancers in both men and women. The church should not reassure people where both wisdom and evidence call for caution. Compassion for strugglers is necessary, but normalizing what can enslave and harm people is not love.
Cannabis → Psychosis / Schizophrenia
* Cannabis use and psychosis: a review of reviews (2020)
Systematic review of meta-analyses showing an association between cannabis use and psychosis.
* Meta-analysis of the Association Between the Level of Cannabis Use and Risk of Psychosis (2016)
Found higher levels of cannabis use significantly increase risk of psychotic outcomes (dose-response relationship).
Alcohol → Breast Cancer & Cancer Risk
* Alcoholic beverage consumption and female breast cancer risk (2024 review)
Large systematic review confirming alcohol as a risk factor for breast cancer.
* Alcohol Use and Breast Cancer: A Critical Review (2016)
Shows increased breast cancer risk even at low levels of alcohol consumption.
* Meta-analysis of studies of alcohol and breast cancer
Long-standing evidence base linking alcohol intake and breast cancer risk.
Thank you dear. Well thought out. Thank you.
Recreation drug use is Pharmakeia, which is a category in God’s laws; the stronger the degree of effect, the more important it is to control it. Strong societies have always controlled substances that enslave their people to spirits, and weak ones always relax them. It’s no coincidence.