Is attitudes toward marijuana changing within the Catholic Church?

As societal norms evolve, institutions such as government and religion have not always kept pace with the times. Often enough, traditional institutions such as churches and state institutions are among the very last to push through reforms based on social change. This has been the case in the past on numerous topics, including gay marriage, stem cell research, and most recently cannabis use.

Many people these days combine a strict ban on cannabis with outdated propaganda from the time of the war on drugs. But does the Catholic Church fall into that category? The answer may surprise you.

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The use of medical marijuana is not condemned by the Catholic Church

Before recreational consumption was generally accepted, there were first attempts to prove its medicinal effect. Indeed, medical marijuana use is common in the United States can be traced until the middle of the 19th century. With that being the case, it is understandable that the Catholic Church should be fairly lenient about the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. Over the past few years, some have Prominent church leaders have loudly supported each other of medical marijuana use. While the Catholic Church has advocated medical marijuana, the main caveat is that the substance can only be used for therapeutic purposes.

Recreational marijuana use is a different story

Although the Catholic Church supports the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes, its stance is clear that using marijuana for fun still falls under the category of drug use, which is a sin. Pope Francis reiterated this stance in a speech from 2014 where he railed against increasing efforts to legalize recreational drugs like marijuana.

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The Pope’s stance has since become the Catholic Church’s common refrain when it comes to recreational marijuana use. Since many cannabis users see marijuana use in a similar light to alcohol use, the tough attitude towards the substance doesn’t seem entirely fair.

Hypocrisy of allowing alcohol while condemning marijuana

Although marijuana is strictly prohibited by the Catholic Church, alcohol is not subject to the same restrictions. That fact is ironic considering the harm alcohol can do to individuals, families, and communities. Driving alone is drunk responsible for more than 10,000 deaths per year in the United States, which is more than can be attributed to legal cannabis. If cannabis can be banned by the Catholic Church because of any danger, it seems like alcohol should also be banned.

Will their attitude change anytime soon?

While their position is pretty tough right now, the fact that the Catholic Church is receptive to medical marijuana should raise hope that their attitudes towards recreational cannabis use could change over time.

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The reality is that medical marijuana is still a relatively new concept for many people, including decision-makers within the Catholic Church. It is likely that this could be the factor contributing to the final change in attitudes in the Catholic Church towards cannabis as these decision-makers get younger and grow up in a world where medical cannabis is more common.