Medicinal Drug use

[shaka]

My wife’s frined asked me a question. She is a non-catholic and was wondering if her use of marijuanna for medicinal purposes is sinful. In the state we live in it marijuanna use is not legal. She states that it is the only thing that helps her anxiety, that all other legal drugs prescribed by Dr.'s do not work.

I looked in the Chatacism and it did not help. Could someone please answer this and cite offical Church teaching on this?

Thank you

 

[rpp]

The Church teaches we are bound to follow reasonable civil laws. As you said, using marijuana is, even for medicinal purposes is not legal in your state.

She is violating the law, and it is a serious law. Therefore the sin is serious.

Additionally, for her to obtain it, she must knowingly be doing business with a drug dealer, so she is aiding other criminal activity. That is also seriously sinful.

As for her reasons for using marijuana, many people come up with all sorts of excuses to get high. I find her reasons very weak. In fact, I do not actually believe her.

 

[Miserissima]

Your friend isn’t subjecting herself to ruling authorities, as Paul advised in Romans 13:1-7. It not just talks about to whom we owe taxes, but following the laws of those who govern:

(Rom 13:1-3 Douay-Rheims Version) 1 Let every soul be subject to higher powers: for there is no power but from God: and those that are, are ordained of God. 2 Therefore he that resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God. And they that resist, purchase to themselves damnation.

If your friend feels that the drug laws are unjust, yu can find a little about that in the CCC here, under Participation in Social Life:

1902 Authority does not derive its moral legitimacy from itself. It must not behave in a despotic manner, but must act for the common good as a “moral force based on freedom and a sense of responsibility”

You can explain that the government has already weighed the pros and cons of medicinal marijuana, and ruled against it.

1908 Second, the common good requires the social well-being and development of the group itself. Development is the epitome of all social duties. Certainly, it is the proper function of authority to arbitrate, in the name of the common good, between various particular interests; but **it should make accessible to each what is needed to lead a truly human life: **food, clothing, health, work, education and culture, suitable information, the right to establish a family, and so on. (Emphasis mine.)

By ruling against marijuana use - medical or otherwise - the government is acting in the common good to a) evaluate the medical effects of marijuana, and to b) restrict access to that which is deemed harmful.

 

[RWMorris]

Using marijuana in a state where it is not legal is in fact a sin according to the Catechism.

 

[Dale_M]

I looked in the Chatacism and it did not help. Could someone please answer this and cite offical Church teaching on this?

As others have mentioned we are to regard civil authorities as representatives of God and to follow their laws.

2238
Those subject to authority should regard those in authority as representatives of God, who has made them stewards of his gifts:43 "Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution. . . . Live as free men, yet without using your freedom as a pretext for evil; but live as servants of God."44 Their loyal collaboration includes the right, and at times the duty, to voice their just criticisms of that which seems harmful to the dignity of persons and to the good of the community.

2239
It is the duty of citizens to contribute along with the civil authorities to the good of society in a spirit of truth, justice, solidarity, and freedom. The love and service of one’s country follow from the duty of gratitude and belong to the order of charity. Submission to legitimate authorities and service of the common good require citizens to fulfill their roles in the life of the political community.

There are rare times when civil disobedience to unjust laws is required.

2242
The citizen is obliged in conscience not to follow the directives of civil authorities when they are contrary to the demands of the moral order, to the fundamental rights of persons or the teachings of the Gospel. Refusing obedience to civil authorities, when their demands are contrary to those of an upright conscience, finds its justification in the distinction between serving God and serving the political community. "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s."48 “We must obey God rather than men”:49

usccb.org/catechism/text/pt3sect2chpt2.htm#art4

Your wife’s friend theoretically could claim civil disobedience, that her fundamental right (health and well-being) is violated by the law. But she would be on very shaky ground considering that anxiety is not life-threatening, and that marijuana has known health risks. And she would have to contend that God wants her to smoke pot.

Moreover, as others have mentioned, she would be supporting organized crime, which damages the social order to a much greater degee than the good gained from her anxiety relief.

 

[Herstal_Belgium]

Outlawing a plant is in and of itself “unreasonable”.

However, using marijuana to ease anxiety may or may not be sinful, depending on the severity and situation of her anxiety. I’m sure a priest would suggest she concentrate on living her life in such a way that anxiety is relieved through non-medicinal ways, if possible. If not possible, and THC works better than anything a doctor can prescribe, then marijuana is a legitimate alternative.

 

[m134e5]

My wife’s frined asked me a question. She is a non-catholic and was wondering if her use of marijuanna for medicinal purposes is sinful. In the state we live in it marijuanna use is not legal. She states that it is the only thing that helps her anxiety, that all other legal drugs prescribed by Dr.'s do not work.

I looked in the Chatacism and it did not help. Could someone please answer this and cite offical Church teaching on this?

Thank you

There are other ways of dealing with anxiety than by getting stoned. As with many emotional disorders, those who suffer from anxiety should look for the reasons behind it, and solve the problem that way. It may require significant lifestyle adjustments, and in very rare- and unfortunate- cases, medication, but doing illegal drugs isn’t the answer. It is sinful because it is illegal, and I personally think there are other problems with marijuana use as well.

But I must pose one question to everyone else…

How many of you let your kids drink wine at dinner or gave your kids a drink of beer or whiskey? You broke the law too…is that sinful? If so, is it mortal or venial?

 

[CCM08]

Pot is a hallucinogenic drug, and would not in any way be ideal for the treatment of anxiety, paranoia, and the like. Quite the contrary, anxiety and parnoia can be (and are in many cases) side effects of pot use. It’s like saying you need LSD to treat your schizophrenia.