Is smoking cigarettes a mortal sin?

[Holly3278]

Hey everyone. My friend tells me that smoking cigarettes is a mortal sin because the Catechism says that abusing drugs is gravely sinful. I disagree with him because the context of the passage suggests that it is talking about illegal drugs.

**2291 **The use of drugs inflicts very grave damage on human health and life. Their use, except on strictly therapeutic grounds, is a grave offense. Clandestine production of and trafficking in drugs are scandalous practices. They constitute direct co-operation in evil, since they encourage people to practices gravely contrary to the moral law.

The Catechism also mentions tobacco but only in reference to using it in excess:

**2290 **The virtue of temperance disposes us to avoid every kind of excess: the abuse of food, alcohol, tobacco, or medicine. Those incur grave guilt who, by drunkenness or a love of speed, endanger their own and others’ safety on the road, at sea, or in the air.

So, is smoking cigarettes mortally sinful? If not, how do I prove this to him?

That said, would bumming cigarettes off of someone be mortally sinful? I mean, would it be a sin of greed, selfishness, or something else? If so, is it gravely sinful?

 

[Rhuarc]

No, I would also argue that drugs such as marijuana are not either but it is not my place to say so. Everything in life must be used with temperance.

 

[Holly3278]

No, I would also argue that drugs such as marijuana are not either but it is not my place to say so. Everything in life must be used with temperance.

Smoking marijuana would be a sin if you live in a place where it is against the law because it is a sin to break a just law. That said, I am not here to discuss the morality of smoking marijuana. I am only here to get an answer to my question. I appreciate your answer but I’d like to see more answers.

 

[JD27076]

Smoking marijuana would be a sin if you live in a place where it is against the law because it is a sin to break a just law. That said, I am not here to discuss the morality of smoking marijuana. I am only here to get an answer to my question. I appreciate your answer but I’d like to see more answers.

So if the Law outlawed Christianity, it would be a sin to be a Christian? If the law outlawed the Catholic Church, it would be a mortal sin to practice your Catholic faith in secrecy?

I get your point Holly, and I understand where your coming from, but maybe reword it a little.

The Answer to the Question: No, but unhealthy and probably a venial sin.

 

[Holly3278]

So if the Law outlawed Christianity, it would be a sin to be a Christian? If the law outlawed the Catholic Church, it would be a mortal sin to practice your Catholic faith in secrecy?

I get your point Holly, and I understand where your coming from, but maybe reword it a little.

The Answer to the Question: No, but unhealthy and probably a venial sin.

I said that it is a sin to break a just law, not an unjust law.

 

[minkymurph]

Smoking cigarettes is not a good idea and damaging to health. No question about that. Should everything that is not a good idea and damaging to health be a mortal sin? I read an answer to a question posed to an apologist on this forum, and they stated there are three requirements for mortal sin; grave matter, full knowledge and full and free consent of will. If these three things are satisfied, then I would say there is no mortal sin. In relation to smoking, it depends on your point of view whether you think these three elements are present.

If we categorize everything that is not a good idea and damaging to health, where would we stop? The following are not a good idea and damaging to one’s health, and perhaps the health of others. Driving too fast, plastic surgery in some circumstances,using sunbeds or cooking yourself in natural sun, eating to the point you become obese, starving yourself, workaholics, spending too long in front of a computer, self harm - the list is endless. Why should we categorize smoking as a mortal sin any more than any of these other things?

I openly confess I am a nicotine addict. I started smoking when I was 11. I’m not proud of that by any stretch of the imagination. I grew up in a culture where everyone smoked. I thought it was cool. If there is one thing I would change in my life if I could go back in a time machine is I would never have started. I have two kids and I hide in my garden shed to have a smoke because I don’t want them to start. I have always told them, ‘don’t start,’ if you never start you will never have to give up.

I talked to a priest in confession about smoking. He explained to me that smoking is a physical addiction. In which case, the person is not fully culpable. Yes, I chose to start, but at 11 I was not fully aware of what starting meant. That is not an excuse for smoking, in conjunction with what I have said above it’s a reason. It’s like being an alcoholic. You can be a dry alcoholic or a recovering alcoholic, but you never stop being one. Once you start smoking, if it’s more than trying it out, you never stop being a smoker, you’re a nicotine free smoker for want of a better phrase. I know people who have been off cigarettes for years and after a meal still feel they want one.

I am not advocating smoking at all, but I don’t think it’s a mortal sin any more than any of the other things I have mentioned above.

 

[Holly3278]

Thank you for the reply Minkymurph. I think I agree with you. Since nicotine is so addictive, it reduces one’s culpability so that it is not a mortal sin. That said, I am still not sure as to whether or not smoking is even grave matter to begin with.

Also, I would really appreciate an answer to my second question which was about bumming cigarettes off of people. If you do that, is it a grave sin of greed, envy, or selfishness?

 

[George_Stegmeir]

I am an ex-smoker. I smoked cigarettes for more than 50 years and was up to around 4 packs a day when I quit. I quit cold after I developed severe bronchitus and ended up on a guerney in an emergency room of a hospital. While laying there, I could feel the air going into my lungs, but it wasn’t doing anything. I could feel myself smothering. I said my prayers for the first time since I was a child. When they took me upstairs, the Hospital Chaplain was waiting for me , heard my Confession and gave me the Last Rites. Needless to say, I survived after 5 days in the Hospital. I haven’t touched tobacco since!
Now, the point is, is that if I smoked a cigarette today, that would not only be stupid, it would be a mortal sin. However, for someone else, whether addicted or not, who smockes with moderation, no, it is not a mortal sin.
For smoking to be a sin, it has to do with how much one smokes, and whether or not you consciously ignore doing direct harm to ones self. In a way, it is like the imbibing of alcohol. It is only the abuse of the substance that is a sin.
One cannot rely on the so-called "scientific/evidence that all use of tobacco is harmful. Unfortunately, all such information has fallen into the hands of prohibitionists which has rendered it suspect.

 

[minkymurph]

Thank you for the reply Minkymurph. I think I agree with you. Since nicotine is so addictive, it reduces one’s culpability so that it is not a mortal sin. That said, I am still not sure as to whether or not smoking is even grave matter to begin with.

Also, I would really appreciate an answer to my second question which was about bumming cigarettes off of people. If you do that, is it a grave sin of greed, envy, or selfishness?

If you bum cigarettes off someone because you don’t have any and are dying for a smoke, or often in my case convince yourself you have given up, see someone smoking and in your weakness ask them for one, that is one thing. Bumming cigarettes because you want to smoke, are too mean to buy your own and just expect someone else to supply them is another. That would be selfish, and exploiting others.

 

[babygirl6152]

Temperance is the solid answer. I decided to quit last night even though I just smoke one cigarette before bedtime, outside Or maybe since I only smoke one before bedtime.

My husband smokes cigars outside but I would think way too much, about one every other hour on days off, but none until after supper on weekdays. I see the weekdays as being closer to temperate. My other thoughts are:

If you are inside, breaking a law, or hotel rule, etc as we all know there are plenty these days against indoor smoking), I would say your sin is more serious, since it most likely affects others.

Another point, excess or not when you refuse to attempt to slow when your family is in need of necessities and/or when you have to borrow from family or friends to pay for necessities after not thinking out a budget and putting smoking/your need above others you’re responsible to/for.

My husband’s monthly tobacco cost $250
My tobacco cost $7-14 month

If it makes you ill, or leads you to sin in some way, as does SOME who drink alcohol, having knowledge it always leads them to violence or depression. But that is drinking alcohol, I can’t think of other sins other than financial, that affect others with tobacco use.

 

[BListon]

Hey everyone. My friend tells me that smoking cigarettes is a mortal sin because the Catechism says that abusing drugs is gravely sinful. I disagree with him because the context of the passage suggests that it is talking about illegal drugs.

The Catechism also mentions tobacco but only in reference to using it in excess:

So, is smoking cigarettes mortally sinful? If not, how do I prove this to him?

That said, would bumming cigarettes off of someone be mortally sinful? I mean, would it be a sin of greed, selfishness, or something else? If so, is it gravely sinful?

No, It’s not. Jesus said that it is not what goes in a man’s body that defiles him… it’s what comes out (words and deeds.) But as Christians we also must respect the laws of the land, so if it is an illegal drug such as marijuana, then it would be a sin, because you would be disobeying the laws of your land, which Christ condemned.

 

[Holly3278]

Thanks everyone. I know I smoke excessively and I sincerely hope it is not mortally sinful for me to do so but I just get these cravings which if I try to ignore it, it just gets worse and I have to smoke one. I think that my severe addiction to cigarettes would mitigate my culpability for this sin of smoking excessively so that it is not mortally sinful.

 

[Nonna2005]

Thanks everyone. I know I smoke excessively and I sincerely hope it is not mortally sinful for me to do so but I just get these cravings which if I try to ignore it, it just gets worse and I have to smoke one. I think that my severe addiction to cigarettes would mitigate my culpability for this sin of smoking excessively so that it is not mortally sinful.

I can relate to you!! I so want to quit but, I guess I’m just not strong enough! (right now) I know I’m going to do it one day! Maybe you will be able to totally ignore that craving one day. I hope this is true for both of us!! Sin or not…it’s very unhealthy!

Have a blessed day Holly

 

[Holly3278]

I can relate to you!! I so want to quit but, I guess I’m just not strong enough! (right now) I know I’m going to do it one day! Maybe you will be able to totally ignore that craving one day. I hope this is true for both of us!! Sin or not…it’s very unhealthy!

Have a blessed day Holly

Thank you Nonna. It is night here but I hope you have a blessed day/night wherever you are at.

 

[thistle]

Thanks everyone. I know I smoke excessively and I sincerely hope it is not mortally sinful for me to do so but I just get these cravings which if I try to ignore it, it just gets worse and I have to smoke one. I think that my severe addiction to cigarettes would mitigate my culpability for this sin of smoking excessively so that it is not mortally sinful.

Yes but be careful about assuming you have reduced culpability for anything. That can sometimes just be a way to justify continuing to do something not so good!. Only your priest can tell you about your culpability.

 

[CopticChristian]

Hey everyone. My friend tells me that smoking cigarettes is a mortal sin because the Catechism says that abusing drugs is gravely sinful. I disagree with him because the context of the passage suggests that it is talking about illegal drugs.

The Catechism also mentions tobacco but only in reference to using it in excess:

So, is smoking cigarettes mortally sinful? If not, how do I prove this to him?

That said, would bumming cigarettes off of someone be mortally sinful? I mean, would it be a sin of greed, selfishness, or something else? If so, is it gravely sinful?

Friend,

The Catechism says “theraputic drugs”…tobacco is not theraputic. It also says in excess…how much tobacco is excess…in my opinion based on what I know any amount of a poison is excess.

You may want to step back and ask yourself this…must I see a specific Bible verse to understand a specific issue like smoking?..when I was a child, I spoke as a child…you know the gig…so do this…spend some time on the internet and see what tobacco is good for…

Tobacco is a natural insecticide…search that topic ie Tobacco Natural Insecticide…

Animals do not eat tobacco…search that topic

Now once you have convinced yourself that Tobacco is a natural insecticide and that no mammal eats tobacco…the smartest of these the Orangatang does not eat tobacco…

Then convince yourself that you were made in the image and likeness of God…Love God…Love neighbor…you have to love yourself before you love neighbor…

Now if you love your neighbor, would you feed them an insecticide? If you love yourself would you smoke an insecticide that kills insects naturally and Orangatangs will not eat…since you were commanded to be fruitful and multiply and take dominion over the beasts…can’t do that if your smoking the stuff that they know is poison.

Poisoning yourself is grave matter. You now know that tobacco is a poison and have full knowledge. Smoke it and you have given full consent.

 

[PennyinCanada]

Everyone knows that smoking cigarettes is addictive. When you are addicted to something, you are it’s slave and it is your lord and master.

Volunteering to give your health, money, and control over to a poisonous chemical would seem to me a grave matter.
To continue to be a ‘captive’ without resisting seems to be a serious matter to me. We are just so used to smoking that we don’t see it as a slavery.

How can one say that culpability is lessened because they are addicted, when they knew before hand that cigarettes are addictive?

 

[Holly3278]

Ok, can someone please just tell me if I committed a mortal sin or not? I am getting mixed signals here and I am really confused.

 

[CopticChristian]

Ok, can someone please jut tell me if I committed a mortal sin or not? I am getting mixed signals here and I am really confused.

Holly,

Take all the information, come to a conclusion, talk to a Priest in confession. Amen, Amen and Amen…

 

[BListon]

Ok, can someone please just tell me if I committed a mortal sin or not? I am getting mixed signals here and I am really confused.

In short… no, you are not.