none

• As Christians, we believe intoxication is clearly forbidden. “Do not get drunk.” (Eph 5:18, see also Prov 23:29-35) Intoxication in the Bible is considered foolish and sinful. This principle applies not just to alcohol, but to any kind of intoxicant. (For the prohibition of other hallucinogenic or psychedelic drugs, see Gal 5:19-21 and the use of terms “pharmakeia and “methe”).
• As Christians, we believe we are to honor God with our physical bodies. “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? … Therefore honor God with your bodies.” (1 Cor 6:19-20) Anything damaging to our physical bodies is not what God desires. (See Appendix for damaging physical effects of marijuana use.)
• As Christians, we believe we should avoid dependency. “I will not be mastered by anything” (1 Cor 6:12). Instead, we are to pursue freedom from all dependency. Addiction to marijuana is known as Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD). The diagnostic criteria for CUD is found in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders – Fifth Edition (DSM-5).1 Note – some prefer to use the language of dependency rather than addiction. As with all drugs, marijuana promises us pleasure but ultimately leads to captivity and bondage.
• As Christians, we are called to spiritual alertness. “Be sober-minded.” (1 Pet 5:8) “So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober.” (1 Thess 5:6 NIV) The overall message of the Scriptures is to pursue sobriety. Marijuana alters and/or numbs the mind, and people who are numb tend to not live a life of purpose, godliness, and impact, they also tend to not notice the injustice around them and can miss God’s call on their lives to do good works. (Eph 2:10)
• As Christians, we should not seek to escape reality. The Bible teaches that suffering comes into our lives for the purpose of shaping our character (James 1:1-5). Therefore, when faced with trials, we should not escape, but rather, pursue the comfort that comes from God Himself. (2 Cor 1:1-10; Matt 5:4)
• As Christians, we should be careful not to engage in behaviors that cause others to stumble down a path toward sin. “Make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.” (Rom 14:13 NIV). Marijuana use can cause another brother or sister to fall away, by us condoning what will become their demise. This does not show love for neighbor.

In conclusion, as Christians we have been given two great commandments, to love God and to love our neighbors. Therefore, the question is does marijuana use help us achieve these purposes? When all of the negative effects are considered, physically, emotionally, and spiritually, we are forced to conclude that this is not a movement Christians should support. However, we do believe this is a gospel opportunity. We have a chance to show a more excellent way. Rather than escape this world, we can be free and testify to the sufficiency of Christ as an anchor through every storm.

Answering Common Objections

There are several common objections given to the traditional position opposing marijuana use, here are the responses:

• “It’s a natural plant that God has placed here for our use.”

Some adherents of marijuana even point toward the scriptures in Genesis 1:29 and state that God gave us every seed-bearing plant for food, therefore it must be permitted to use marijuana. The response to this is that while it is true that God created everything, everything is not always meant to be consumed in the same manner. God created poison ivy too, if someone wants to eat that, they may, but don’t complain if sickness results. Everything He has made has some purpose in God’s creation. For example, hemp (from which marijuana is made) is very useful in making strong rope, durable sports clothing, shoes, paper pulp, and biodegradable plastic. Though there may be medical use, to pervert God’s good creation for the purpose of recreational intoxication is to use what He created to do that which He prohibits. This is inconsistent with the whole counsel of God.

• “Alcohol is legal, so what difference does it make if pot is legal?”

While there are some similarities between alcohol and marijuana, there are significant differences. A person can consume alcohol with moderation, without excess or intoxication. This is not possible with marijuana which alters the mind immediately.

• “The government has no business telling people what they can and cannot do in the privacy of their homes. Therefore, make pot legal and leave people to live their lives. Prohibition does not work anyway; we learned that lesson with alcohol in the 1920s.”

Laws do more than restrict behaviors. Laws cast a vision for the ideal. They point toward the type of conduct that society wants to encourage. As Christians, we ought to promote laws that encourage human flourishing. As more states move toward legalization, the perception of harm decreases. As the perception of harm decreases, marijuana use increases along with all of its associated risks.

• “They are going to do it anyway. So regulate it, tax it, and we all will benefit.”

Regarding taxation, a similar reason is often given for gambling. But the result is often an exploitation of the most vulnerable and a track record of poverty and grief for those who indulge. A similar principle applies. Furthermore, states which have legalized marijuana have not seen the revenue they hoped for. Regulation has high prices, and street sales are a better deal. The scripture warns against this behavior. “Be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat, for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and slumber will clothe them with rags.” (Prov 23:20-21)

• What about medical marijuana use?

It is helpful and necessary for Christians to distinguish between the medicinal use of marijuana and its recreational usage. The Scriptures do not prohibit the use of medicine for intense pain relief. (see Prov 31:6) However, using marijuana for medical purposes isn’t the same as using it simply using it to get high, and that is the point of recreational use. Note, there is limited research on the overall value of marijuana as potential medicine as it has not been adequately studied. Therefore, we believe such decisions should be made with caution, wisdom, and in consultation with one’s physician.

Appendix: Risks of Marijuana Use

According to NIDA (National Institute of Drug Abuse), heavy marijuana smokers function at a lower intellectual level compared to non-smokers affecting attention span, memory, cognitive ability, and psychomotor skills.”² The predominant adverse effect of marijuana use is a depression of the central nervous system.³ Marijuana use can also cause side effects such as dry mouth, blurred vision, palpitations, tachycardia (very high heart rate), and postural hypotension.⁴ About 9% of users become addicted. When beginning marijuana use at an early age, addiction occurs in 17% of cases. To those who use marijuana daily, addiction levels rise to 25-50%.⁵ There are several serious and negative physical effects of using marijuana to note specifically:

NEGATIVE EFFECT ON THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM:

• Lung damage due to smoke inhalation. Even when marijuana consumption is less than one “joint” per day, significant effects were detected in respiratory symptoms.⁶
• Long-term marijuana use increases the risk of lung cancer in young adults.⁷
• Three to four “joints” of marijuana per day equate to an average of 22 tobacco cigarettes. Regular marijuana smokers experience similar levels of coughing, wheezing, and symptoms ascribed to tobacco smokers.⁸

NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON MENTAL HEALTH

• Marijuana use has been linked with depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts among adolescents, and personality disturbances, including lack of motivation.⁹
• Long-term effects have been associated with cognitive impairment, memory loss, loss of decision-making capability, psychosis, and other mental health disorders.¹⁰
• Psychological effects include psychomotor and cognitive impairment, anxiety and panic attacks, acute psychosis and paranoia. Some patients have experienced mental clouding, ataxia (lack of coordination), dizziness, numbness, disorientation, disconnected thought, slurred speech, muscle twitching, and impaired memory.¹¹
• Long-term use of marijuana predicts a decreased satisfaction with life, and with one’s own academic and professional achievements.¹²
• One associated complication of CUD (Cannabis Use Disorder) is “amotivational syndrome” found in the DSM V. Overall, the symptoms of the amotivational syndrome are very similar to the symptoms of depression.¹³

NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON MOTOR SKILLS:

• Time and space distortion can cause impairment (and psychomotor skills can be impaired for up to 24 hours)¹⁴
• Marijuana interferes with vital vehicle handling skills including reaction time, mental focus, and the ability to stay in your lane. Marijuana use is also associated with decreased sensory perception and an overall loss of coordination. (Note the documented increase in accidents at stoplights related to marijuana use).
• As such, Marijuana use by drivers is associated with a significantly increased risk of being involved in vehicle crashes.¹⁵ It is not safe to mix marijuana with driving.
• Marijuana use can lead to problems with not only driving, but operating heavy machinery, and even working the next day.
• Note also– currently there is no definitive measurement for impairment (to measure THC level like blood alcohol level), how do we measure impairment to protect roads safely?

NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON MEMORY AND MENTAL PROCESSES

• Smoking heavily during the teenage years has led, on average, to the loss of 8 IQ points between the ages of 13 and 38. Lost cognitive abilities were not fully restored when the adult quit smoking.¹⁶
• Long-term marijuana users performed significantly worse than shorter-term users and the control group in studies of memory and attention. Effects on memory and attention go beyond the period of intoxication and worsen with more years of marijuana use.¹⁷

NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON SLEEP

• Sleepiness or sleeplessness (insomnia and restlessness).¹⁸
• Increased sleepiness increased with interaction with other sedatives¹⁹

NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON PREGNANCY

• Marijuana use by the pregnant mother slows fetal growth and may lead to premature delivery.²⁰
• Prenatal marijuana exposure has a significant effect on child intellectual performance and development. This includes smoking in any of the three trimesters. Negative effects include deficits in short-term memory and verbal reasoning (tested via the Stanford-Binet Intelligent Scale).²¹
• When the pregnant mother smokes, there may be a causal relationship between the marijuana and child development of leukemia.²²
• Child exposure to marijuana through the mother’s milk during the first month after birth seems to be associated with decreased infant motor skills at one year of age.²³
• Marijuana use may disrupt a woman’s ovulation cycle and the quality and count of male sperm, leading to infertility.²⁴

NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM

• Marijuana use is associated with atrial fibrillation (abnormal heartbeat).²⁵
• Marijuana may increase heartbeats per minute by 20%-100% immediately after use. This effect can last for up to three hours.²⁶
• Even when marijuana consumption is less than one “joint” a day, significant effects were reported in pulmonary function.²⁷

NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON IMMUNE SYSTEM

• Marijuana can trigger suppression of the body’s immune functions, leading to susceptibility to certain types of cancers and infections.²⁸
• Long-term use has been associated with the suppression of the immune system.²⁹

ENDNOTES

1. American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA.
2. From Continuing Education lecture at Rutgers School of Dental Medicine. “The Big Three: Opioids, Alcohol, and Marijuana their impact on you, your family and your dental practice.” by Harold Crossley, DDS, MS, PhD of Cambridge, MD (October 4, 2019)
3. Campbell, F. A., et al. (2001, July 7). Are cannabinoids an effective and safe treatment option in the management of pain? A qualitative systematic review. BMJ, 13
4. Campbell, F. A., et al. (2001, July 7). Are cannabinoids an effective and safe treatment option in the management of pain? A qualitative systematic review. BMJ, 13.
5. National Institute of Health. (n.d.). Drug Facts: Marijuana. Retrieved from National Institute on Drug Abuse: http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana
6. Aldington, S., et al. (2008). Cannabis use and risk of lung cancer: a case-control study. European Respiratory Journal, 31, 280-286
7. Aldington, S., et al. (2008). Cannabis use and risk of lung cancer: a case-control study. European Respiratory Journal, 31, 280-286
8. Johnson, M., et al. (2000, April). Large lung bullae in marijuana smokers. Thorax, 55(4), 340-342.
9. National Institute of Health. (n.d.). Drug Facts: Marijuana. Retrieved from National Institute on Drug Abuse: http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana
10. Li, M.-C., et al. (2012). Marijuana Use and Motor Vehicle Crashes. Epidemiologic Reviews, 34(1), 65-72.
11. Campbell, F. A., et al. (2001, July 7). Are cannabinoids an effective and safe treatment option in the management of pain? A qualitative systematic review. BMJ, 13.
12. Grevenstein , D., & Kröninger-Jungabe, H. (2014). Two Patterns of Cannabis Use among Adolescents: Results of a 10- year Prospective Study Using a Growth Mixture Model. Substance Abuse, 1.
13. American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA.
14. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. (n.d.). Cannabis / Marijuana (Δ 9 –‐Tetrahydrocannabinol, THC). Retrieved from Drugs and Human Performance Fact Sheets: http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/research/job185drugs/cannabis.htm
15. Li, M.-C., et al. (2012). Marijuana Use and Motor Vehicle Crashes. Epidemiologic Reviews, 34(1), 65-72.
16. National Institute of Health. (n.d.). Drug Facts: Marijuana. Retrieved from National Institute on Drug Abuse: http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana
17. Solowij, N., et al. (2002). Cognitive functioning of long-term heavy cannabis users seeking treatment. Journal of the American Medical Association, 287, 1123-1131.
18. Johns, A. (2001, February). Psychiatric Effects of Cannabis. British Journal of Psychiatry, 178, 116–‐122.
19. RxList. (n.d.). Retrieved from Marijuana –‐ Are there any interactions with medications?: http://www.rxlist.com/marijuana–‐page3/supplements.htm
20. Marroun, H. E., et al. (2009). Intrauterine Cannabis Exposure Affects Fetal Growth Trajectories: The Generation R Study. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 1173–‐1181. 6 March of Dimes. (n.d.). Pregnancy: Smoking, alcohol and drugs. Retrieved from March of Dimes: http://www.marchofdimes.com/pregnancy/marijuana.aspx
21. 8 Goldschmidt, L., et al. (2008). Prenatal Marijuana Exposure and Intelligence Test Performance at Age 6. Journal of the American Academy of Child Adolescent Psychiatry, 47, 254-263
22. Robison, L. L., et al. (1989, May 15). Maternal drug use and risk of childhood nonlymphoblastic leukemia among offspring. An epidemiologic investigation implicating marijuana (a report from the Childrens Cancer Study Group). Cancer, 63(10), 1904-1911
23. Astley, S. J., & Little, R. E. (1990, March – April). Maternal marijuana use during lactation and infant development at one year. Neurotoxicology and Teratology, 12(2), 161-168.
24. Garcia, J. E. (n.d.). Infertility. Retrieved from emedicinehealth: http://www.emedicinehealth.com/infertility/article_em.htm
25. Korantzopoulos, P., et al. (2008). Atrial Fibrillation and Marijuana Smoking. International Journal of Clinical Practice, 62(2), 308-313.
26. National Institute of Health. (n.d.). National Institute on Drug Abuse. Retrieved from Marijuana Abuse: http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/marijuana-abuse/how-does-marijuana-use-affect-your-brain-body
27. Krzyzanowski, M., & Bloom, J. W., et al. (1991). Respiratory effects of non-tobacco cigarettes: a longitudinal study in general population. International Journal of Epidemiology, 20, 132-137.
28. Hegde, V. L., et al. (2010). Cannabinoid receptor activation leads to massive mobilization of myeloid-derived suppressor cells with potent immunosuppressive properties. European Journal of Immunology, 40(12), 3358-3371.
29. Li, M.-C., et al. (2012). Marijuana Use and Motor Vehicle Crashes. Epidemiologic Reviews, 34(1), 65-72.