Is smoking cigarettes a venial sin?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Holly3278
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
H

Holly3278

Guest
Here is what the Catechism has to say about tobacco use:

Catechism of the Catholic Church said:
**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.
Click to expand...

So I think that smoking cigarettes is not a grave sin but is it a venial sin? 🤷:confused:
 
That is so weird a couple of hours ago we had a discussion about that at a retreat center…

Anyway, as an opinion, it seems that starting a habit of smoking would be a sin, because then you would be putting yourself in unecessary danger of a damage to your health. On the other hand, if you have been smoking for a long time, it would be good to try to stop smoking, but seeing how hard it is and how much it affects the mind and everything, it seems that it would not be a sin, to me.
 
It may not be venial or mortal, even in moderation-but it’s not a good idea, regardless.

The biggest problem is that smoking cigarettes is rarely done “in moderation”. It usually leads to addiction, which, tragically, can lead to grave HEALTH problems, and maybe grave sin.

Free country, of course, but please don’t smoke! :(:(😦
 
There’s nothing inherently sinful in smoking. Yes, it’s unhealthy, but so is eating sweets or sitting down for long periods of time; they’re fine if done in moderation.

Now, smoking in front of somebody who does not want to inhale it is perhaps a sin, as it is impolite and causing harm to others.
 
If the money you spend on tobacco is in excess of the funds you need to support yourself and family for the basic essentials of food, clothing, transportation and shelter, then no. If however, you use funds that you need to support the above, then yes, you have entered into sin, if your habit is preventing you from caring for yourself and family for the basics of living.

Secondly, your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, and prolonged use of tobacco is clearly a destructive process acting upon and against your body. You know that !
The longer you consume the more difficult it is to stop, and simultaneously the the more harm you do to your body, the temple of the Lord.
 
EphelDuath said:
There’s nothing inherently sinful in smoking. Yes, it’s unhealthy, but so is eating sweets or sitting down for long periods of time; they’re fine if done in moderation.

Now, smoking in front of somebody who does not want to inhale it is perhaps a sin, as it is impolite and causing harm to others.
Click to expand...
How can you smoke in moderation? In particular, cigarettes. Even in moderation, they will kill you.

NOT trying to sound argumentative, just purely curious.
 
The mere fact that even the Church mentions something about the use of tobacco means that She issues a very strong warning about the dangers that smoking poses. Otherwise the Church would not even mention it in a very official document.
 
Rascalking said:
How can you smoke in moderation? In particular, cigarettes. Even in moderation, they will kill you.
Click to expand...
It’s easy to become addicted, though people with strong willpower can manage to resist it; and it’s usually not a problem for people that smoke only socially, i.e., one or two cigarettes a week.
 
EphelDuath said:
It’s easy to become addicted, though people with strong willpower can manage to resist it; and it’s usually not a problem for people that smoke only socially, i.e., one or two cigarettes a week.
Click to expand...
Or a couple every few months.

Not everyone has an “addictive” personality. I’m one of those people. I simply do not get addicted to things.

Caffine is addictive, sugar, white flour, the computer, TV, - all these things must be done in moderation
 
I don’t understand why it’s not a mortal sin, much less a venial sin. Cigarettes are proven to have several carcinogens, and tar… which is not at all healthy for your lungs. And if smoking while other people are present you are also endangering their lives. Yes, not everyone who smokes will get lung, oral, throat… etc. cancer, but I do believe those substances can trigger those diseases in people who are susceptible.

There are several other threads in this forum which speak of using body parts for activities other than that which God intended is mortally sinful. Didn’t God breathe the breath of life into Adam? Didn’t Jesus breathe the Holy Spirit onto His disciples? That would suggest that our lungs symbolize life. Our lungs are just as important as our heart in our lives. With every breath, we breathe life.

I am not saying I don’t agree with the Church. I stand behind the Church. I just don’t understand the disparity.
 
MikiBee said:
I don’t understand why it’s not a mortal sin, much less a venial sin. Cigarettes are proven to have several carcinogens, and tar… which is not at all healthy for your lungs. And if smoking while other people are present you are also endangering their lives. Yes, not everyone who smokes will get lung, oral, throat… etc. cancer, but I do believe those substances can trigger those diseases in people who are susceptible.
Click to expand...
Eating cake or fried chicken can cause obesity and heart attacks; yet I would hope you agree that these are fine in moderation. They’re unhealthy things that are nevertheless enjoyable and do little harm if had with strict control. I know of no cases of somebody dying from a single cigarette.
There are several other threads in this forum which speak of using body parts for activities other than that which God intended is mortally sinful. Didn’t God breathe the breath of life into Adam? Didn’t Jesus breathe the Holy Spirit onto His disciples? That would suggest that our lungs symbolize life. Our lungs are just as important as our heart in our lives. With every breath, we breathe life.
Click to expand...
Well then, is it a mortal sin to live in New Jersey?
 
Rascalking said:
How can you smoke in moderation? In particular, cigarettes. Even in moderation, they will kill you.

NOT trying to sound argumentative, just purely curious.
Click to expand...
It can be done. I dunno know about commercial tobacco products as I avoid putting the junk in my body, but I know from experience that pure tobacco can be smoked in moderation. Moderation for me is a 3 a week if that.
 
EphelDuath said:
Hope nobody is offended by it, though. 😛
Click to expand...
Not offended, just concerned that you don’t see the difference. It’s much more difficult to control where you live and the amount of pollution in there air than it is to choose to intentionally inhale poison deep into your lungs.

I hear the argument about “safe” cigarettes all the time. They may not have all the extra additives like formaldehyde and arsenic added, but they still have tar. And let’s face it smoke is smoke, and intentionally breathing any particulates into your lungs is dangerous.

I also don’t believe the majority of the smokers out there smoke in moderation. It’s common knowledge that cigarettes are addicting, especially if one tends to have an addictive nature.

Please, I’m not passing judgment at all. I used to smoke. And I do understand the lengths and arguments smokers go to justify their habit.
 
MikiBee said:
Not offended, just concerned that you don’t see the difference. It’s much more difficult to control where you live and the amount of pollution in there air than it is to choose to intentionally inhale poison deep into your lungs.

I hear the argument about “safe” cigarettes all the time. They may not have all the extra additives like formaldehyde and arsenic added, but they still have tar. And let’s face it smoke is smoke, and intentionally breathing any particulates into your lungs is dangerous.

I also don’t believe the majority of the smokers out there smoke in moderation. It’s common knowledge that cigarettes are addicting, especially if one tends to have an addictive nature.

Please, I’m not passing judgment at all. I used to smoke. And I do understand the lengths and arguments smokers go to justify their habit.
Click to expand...
It less hazordous to smoke a pure tobacco cigarette than a cigarette with only half that amount of tobacco. There’s never a safe cigarette unless it’s on the ground and not somebody’s lung. But It should be common sense to know what your smoking instead being passive about it and putting God knows what into your lungs. It’s not a habbit for everybody, some of us just enjoy the hobby. And it’s a wonderful method of Temperance. Cigars and pipe tobacco are really fun to grow and process on your own. A true science it is. 🙂
 
kage_ar said:
Or a couple every few months.

Not everyone has an “addictive” personality. I’m one of those people. I simply do not get addicted to things.

Caffine is addictive, sugar, white flour, the computer, TV, - all these things must be done in moderation
Click to expand...
You don’t have to have an addictive personality to get addicted to drugs.
 
ElizabethPH said:
You don’t have to have an addictive personality to get addicted to drugs.
Click to expand...
Actually, many people can use drugs either for treatment of a medical condition or recreationally, in moderation, and not be addicted.

Modern society wants us to THINK that one puff off a cigarette will make us an addict in the gutter. Actually, we CAN control ourselves and be moderate, just like it IS possible to eat only one potato chip.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top