What is the Church’s stance on medical marijuana?
Question
Gramps,
What is the Church’s stance on medicinal marijuana?
Terry
Answer
Dear Terry,
When the Utah State Legislature was considering two bills on medical marijuana the Church did issue a statement. It said in part:
“While we are not in a position to evaluate specific medical claims, the Church understands that there are some individuals who may benefit from the medical use of compounds found in marijuana. For that reason, although the Church opposes SB 73, it has raised no objection to SB 89. These two competing pieces of legislation take very different approaches when it comes to issues like access, distribution, control and the potential harm of the hallucinogenic compound, THC.
In addition to the therapeutic, treatment, and control questions, there are several other important issues to be resolved. At the forefront is that the use of medical marijuana is still illegal under federal law. We agree with groups such as the American Medical Association, who have said (see the AMA policy below) that further study is warranted before significant public policy decisions on marijuana are advanced. For these reasons, the Church urges a cautious approach.”
You can read the full statement here: Church Urges ‘Cautious Approach’ on Medical Marijuana Issue in Utah
So, the Church appears to have several concerns on the matter which include medical necessity, potential for abuse and addiction, as well as current federal legal status among others. None of these concerns seem to be based on the implications of the Word of Wisdom. To my knowledge, the Church has not yet made any theological/religious statement regarding the medical use of marijuana vis-a-vis the Word of Wisdom.
Gramps
I asked the Institute Director at my local institute here and he said that the church policy was that, with a prescription, it was okay to use medical marijuana. The stipulation, apparently, is that the THC be taken in pill form as smoking is still against the word of wisdom.
I don’t remember reading that smoking was addressed in the Word of Wisdom. I do remember that it said no tobacco.
My husband uses medical maijuana for pain documented at 33.5 based on a scale of 1-10 -so off the chart. 24/7. With it he is able to function, without it he is not able to function and is not ok to be around. He had an accident about 20 years ago and this is the consequence of that and several other accident since that, which have added to it.
He has been approved for baptism but is not yet ready to join the church. He smokes it mostly as his pain sneaks up on him and he often need the instant relief that smoking gives. He has tried other methods but they just don’t provide him the same relief. I am definitely not a fan of his choice of medication but I also know it is what provides him the relief he needs to function somewhat normally on a daily basis. I am a member, I have never tried marijuana. I do find it hard not to judge him on this because of all the negative I’ve been taught about it my whole life, but seeing how it helps him, has helped me to see it differently. I do know it does have medical benefits because I see that on a daily basis.
This is one of those ‘grey’ areas, since there are several issues concerning Medical use of Marijuana (to be abbreviated as ‘MM’). Just as I avoid the appearance of being an attorney when a legal issue is being discussed, so I put forth a disclaimer that I’m a layman, not an MD or other licensed medical practitioner, whose advice I would say to put above mine own. YMMV.
Certainly sincere folks, faced with issue of nausea and/or chronic pain, have used MM or its derivatives (marinol) to treat their symptoms, many with success. In that context, MM becomes a ‘useful herb’ per the WoW. However, it should be kept in mind that there seems to be a paucity of peer-reviewed studies as to its medical usefulness that would support its prescription, whether this is due to prejudice and/or self-interest by “Big Pharma” is a long-winded discussion beyond the scope of this forum.
Candidly, it does seem that many that apply for the ‘card’ (like here in CA) are doing so as a pretext to get high, in that they believe that having a documented ‘need’ will stave off consequences like criminal prosecution(s) and/or loss of employment. For example, one study in CA indicated that some 460,000 MM applications stated ‘glaucoma’ as a reason. Even in a state of some 37+ millions, that’s still such an extraordinary rate of affliction for glaucoma that would warrant attention of the CDC or the CA Dept of Health were it genuine. Somehow, I’m inclined to believe the some 460K ‘glaucoma’ cases wouldn’t all be verified if scrutinized.
Even in states where MM, or even ‘personal’ use, is legal, or at least not pursued per stated policy, it’s still a violation of Federal law. Now, mine own Libertarian beliefs would question why the Federal government is regulating private individuals at all; where in the Constitution is it hereby authorized? Still, the Federal laws are on the books, and our current AG has stated that the Justice Department will more strictly enforce laws re: Marijuana. We LDS do have an obligation to uphold the law, not necessarily ‘cafeteria style’. And I actually support unstinting enforcement on the Federal level, simply because I do believe said laws to be unconstitutional and unworkable in practice, and the best way to demonstrate this to the voting public is to enforce them to the letter. Let the political process do its work, the voters get ‘outraged’, if indeed they will, and the members of the Congress and the President carry out their legislative duties and change said laws per public demand. In the meantime, we’ve an obligation to heed them.
NOTE: Even in event of national marijuana legalization, I still see no problem with public policy allowing employers to not hire and/or discharge based on pot usage, nor should landlords be restrained from denying tenancy to pot users. Finally, marijuana use, save for where documented (by an MD) evidence that it’s necessary for quality of life, still ought to be strictly prohibited in the military and the civilian Federal workforce.
In my humble opinion, medical marijuana is a way, WAY, I mean a billion times better and far less risky than legal, prescribed Narcotic pain medication. Marijuana has been proved time and again, not to cause any physical addiction, abuse or overdose, there has NEVER been one single case of anyone in history, who has overdosed on Marijuana. Opiates, Narcotics that are LEGALLY prescribed and greatly pushed by big PHARMA, is by far a billion times worse than Medical Marijuana. Opiates not only cause extreme and painfully hard to quit, physical addiction, it also kills even those who never abused it. The overdose cases because of a deadly combination of opioids and benzodiazepines, are alarming in the United Stated, it doesn’t pick status, color, creed it’s prescribed by even the highest renowned doctors in the country and kills innocent people by the bunch. Opiates, are the true gateway drug, because a person with an addictive personality, will need more and more and when they don’t find the medication, the next similar high is heroin and that’s the END OF THE TUNNEL.
The legalization of Medical Marijuana, would be VERY VERY harmful to big PHARMA, and they have BILLIONS of dollars to bribe those lawmakers not to allow their profit to start declining.
I truly pray, the church will see that. I have never smoked Marijuana, I’m an active member of the LDS CHURCH, however, I am prescribed a SERIES of highly addictive prescription medications that could easily cause
Me to overdose, I’m physically addicted to it, enven though I am super careful not to even take the amount prescribed. I don’t have an addictive personality, so despite being physically addicted to the medication, I have never abused it, or had any pleasure from the rush of euphoria it causes.
That is what the Prophets, seers and revelatory, apostles, members of General Authority committees, should research on, I can’t tell them what to do, but I pray Heavenly Father, alerts the Presidency of the Church and shines a different light on what should and should not be supported by the Church.
Medical Marijuana, in my opinion, and the serious restriction of opiates being prescribed to ANYONE, would avoid the death of many, our children, our brothers and sisters.
If the guidance is to avoid mind altering drugs, regardless of me never having tried Marijuana, but having observed many people after using it, makes it perfectly clear to me,
That prescription opiates is a thousand times more mind altering than Marijuana. It ÍMPARES you completely to the point you can’t drive. JUST A DISASTER. Right now In America, we have a huge epidemic of persons addicted to Opiates, who either go to stronger drugs, or overdose on those pills.
Legislators should be more
Diligent, AMERICA should be
More aware and the Church should look further into it.