Is doing drugs a sin?

[Red_Paladin]

Can we be more logical in debunking this? The OP made a very interesting point. What’s the difference between alcohol and drugs? And what makes consuming one a sin and the other not? I do hope no one here thinks that drinking a little beer or wine is a sin (for then all our forefathers and even Our Lord himself would be a sinner). But what’s the distinction between them? That’s what we have to make clear.

 

[Robert_Sock]

Alcohol is very sinful if we do it to the degree that we are intoxicated. Nicotine is always sinful in that it harms the body. Caffeine is generally OK because we do not get intoxicated and it does not harm the body.

I smoke medical marijuana, not to get stoned, but because it relaxes my mind and draws me closer to God spiritually. I do not consider it sinful.

Illegal drugs are generally sinful not only because they can get us stoned, but because we are contributing to drug trafficking.

 

[Vic_Taltrees_UK]

As to alcohol, in various people there are up to three separate issues:

• gluttony
• loss of control as aforementioned
• continuing to use after we find out that we can’t safely metabolise it - usually brings in the above two as well as leading to all kinds of deterioration

 

[Andreas_Hofer]

Use of illegal drugs is sinful if for no other reason than that disobeying just laws involves rejection of authority instituted by God (cf. Rom 13).

But even were these drugs legally obtainable, one would still have to reckon with two other problems:

1. damage to the body (and thus when disproportionate to its utility a violation of the 5th commandment)
2. impairment of free will (which is an affront against our very nature as rational creatures), both in the short term immediate effects and in the longer-term effect of addiction

The questions of harm and impairment are bound up with both scientific questions and immeasurable phenomena (anyone ever invent a “free will detector”?), so we don’t have many clear statements from the Magisterium as to whether drug X, Y, or Z is capable of use in moderation. But the approvals of alcohol and tobacco in moderation do provide benchmarks to guide our prudential judgment. Comparison of the effects of marijuana to tobacco and alcohol would be the best way to discern whether that drug might be morally permissible, but that seems to be the only real contender (among common American drugs) for making a case that its immorality rests solely upon illegality as opposed to in combination with its other deleterious effects. For the record, I highly suspect it, too, fails that test.

 

[hu324b]

Why risk it - with the amount of addicts in the world who’s lives have been destroyed why do you think that it won’t happen to you or that you are better them them and won’t get addicted - with risk comes consequences - are you ready for the consequences of your choice - and if you are how have you come to the conclusion that you won’t get addicted - pretty big risk to bet your life on a few moments of pleasure. And all you have to do is ask yourself what would Jesus say and you have your answer.

 

[CRATUS]

Is doing drugs a sin? If it is, where is that captured in either the catechism or biblically? Also, if it is, then what makes alcohol different? If drinking moderately is ok then is doing just a little bit of cocaine or smoking a little bit of marijuana ok - you know - not to get really high, just to be social. I was on a walk the other day and was pondering all this…

I understand smoking a little bit of weed. Some states it is legalized. I would not dabble into cocaine. It is very easy to get addicted. I do not think there is such thing as a little cocaine.

 

[TK421]

Can we be more logical in debunking this? The OP made a very interesting point. What’s the difference between alcohol and drugs? And what makes consuming one a sin and the other not? I do hope no one here thinks that drinking a little beer or wine is a sin (for then all our forefathers and even Our Lord himself would be a sinner). But what’s the distinction between them? That’s what we have to make clear.

Certain drugs have a profound effect on a person with just one dose. Alcohol is more along the same lines as over-the-counter-painkillers. 1 or 2 drinks will have a mild effect on a normal person, but it can still be abused or even fatal when taken in large doses.

There is no red line in the sand on when it becomes discouraged, sinful, or gravely sinful, but with human science and reason we can pretty well figure out that some drugs are much, much worse than others.