Moral question marijuana licences

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louie121

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my son works in a law firm ,and many times he helps obtaining medical marijuana licences from the state. he is asking if there is a moral problem filling these forms and also he is thinking of doing this on the side, with his friend.
 
He would be helping people violate Federal Law. We are to obey just laws. I would suggest he speak to his priest and an attorney before venturing into these murky waters.
 
It may be legal in his state. @louie121 is it legal there?

Legality aside, it sounds like it’s morally licit.
“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 cooperation in evil, since they encourage people to practices gravely contrary to the moral law” -posted by Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 2291)
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The Federal Laws are still in place everywhere. This is why the person ought contact his priest and his attorney.

The entire section on our duties as citizens begins in the Catechism:

The duties of citizens

[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.

http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p3s2c2a4.htm
 
jrgmercado said:
Does Federal law trump State laws in the eyes of God? 😶
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I’d obey the most stringent of the two. In this case it’s federal.

However we don’t know that the OPs son is in the US, or am I missing something? If medical marijuana is fully legal I don’t think there would be a moral issue.
 
Doing it on the side, if it normally requires an attorney, would be illicit.

Otherwise, my mom is a Catholic in good standing, confesses regularly, and legally and therapeutically uses medical marijuana. The OP’s son is welcome to consult with a priest, but where state law backs him and the Church acknowledges the moral licitness of therapeutic use, I highly doubt this is an even remotely grave matter.
 
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OP says that he works for a law office and helps obtain “medical marijuana licenses”…why would they be applying for a license if it wasn’t at least legal for medical reasons regardless of where they live? In my experience, you don’t need a license to sell on the street.
 
jrgmercado said:
OP says that he works for a law office and helps obtain “medical marijuana licenses”…why would they be applying for a license if it wasn’t at least legal for medical reasons regardless of where they live? In my experience, you don’t need a license to sell on the street.
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In the US marijuana may be legal at the state level but is not at the federal level. That imo complicates things.
blackforest said:
In any case, there’s a time and place to break an unjust law. That decision I would leave to the OP’s son and his priest.
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I was assuming a just law. I’m not sure laws against medical marijuana are unjust although I would support legalising it.

Even if it is an unjust law if the federal government decides to enforce he may find himself in trouble.
 
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Elf01 said:
I was assuming a just law. I’m not sure laws against medical marijuana are unjust although I would support legalising it.
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That would be fodder for another thread, and you’re free to link me to it if you start one. For now, I will argue that it is unjust to lock somebody in a cage for doing something that our own Church permits - using a pain-relieving and often life-saving medical intervention.
 
As long as one is willing to face Federal prosecution. The winds can change at any moment with our current administration.
 
It is probably only a matter of time before medical marijuana and recreation marijuana is legal in all 50 states. You might wait until that time comes.
As for morality, federal law considers marijuana usage illegal.
When it comes to morality in many things, it is use verses abuse.
Drinking a beer or having a glass of wine would seem morally okay, but getting drunk on a regular basis is not.
 
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