I, too, think that there is nothing inherently wrong with consuming marijuana, even by unhealthy methods like smoking (but it’s certainly better to vaporize it or take it orally, for safety reasons). The sin arises from using it without temperance. Using it to get completely “blazed” is wrong, the way taking alcohol to get drunk is wrong. However, in case anybody thinks that there is no way to use marijuana in moderation, I must say I have seen friends of mine take several hits without becoming noticeably impaired in any way. I think that, like alcohol, taking a little bit at a time can make you feel good without making you lose control. If you take so much marijuana that you get addicted (and yes, you can get addicted to pot; you can get addicted to anything that stimulates the dopamine system, including things like eating and sex) that would also be a bad thing. It would certainly be sinful to waste a lot of money on weed; the same goes for anything. Finally, you should not buy from criminals or gangs who smuggle drugs into the country by killing and terrorizing people, although most pot is grown locally so that’s not really a problem.
I do think that the government’s “war on drugs” is an ineffective policy feuled by ignorance and racism; it crowds our prisons with drug users who present no danger to the general population, and it wastes millins of dollars and man-hours of labor in this pursuit. I do not, however, think we should oppose the current law by flaunting it and smoking pot. There are appropriate legal channels for change, and I think we should try to bring about change through these channels (vote Ron Paul!) instead of ignoring existing laws. If it turns out that congress is unwilling to change the law despite a large and legitimate majority push for legalisation of these substances, only then would I say civil disobedience is justified.
Just so you know, I have never used any drugs other than caffeine and the appropriate use of prescription painkillers.
