The Bible does not mention marijuana (pot) by name. In the United States, the legal use of this drug, whether for recreational or for medicinal purposes, is a hotly debated subject. This is partly because the government considers the plant a high-level controlled substance. Its possession is considered a federal offense punishable by up to one year in jail. Penalties for cultivating or selling marijuana are even more severe.
In 2014, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, there were a little more than 22 million citizens using marijuana (pot). It is estimated that 6.5 million of these individuals use it on a daily or almost daily basis. According to the agency, this plant is considered the most widely abused illicit drug.
In spite of federal law, as of 2017, twenty-nine U.S. states plus the District of Columbia have made it legal to use marijuana for certain medical reasons. The drug is used in these places to treat or improve the symptoms brought on by approved conditions such as HIV / AIDS, cancer, glaucoma, chronic pain and several others.
The use of marijuana is not directly addressed in Scripture. That said, the fact that God brought it into existence is not justification, of itself, that it should be used today. He did indeed create all plant life, but not all plants were created to be utilized by humans.
God Owns Us
Believers are called to honor God with their bodies because it is where his Spirit, which makes a person a true Christian, resides.
WHAT! Don't you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, which you have within you from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought with a price. Therefore, glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's (1Corinthians 6:19 - 20, HBFV).
Scripture teaches that we should shy away from things that could defile or pollute our bodies. This precludes smoking or otherwise using marijuana "for fun." We are also commanded to offer ourselves as living sacrifices to him.
I exhort you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and well pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service (Romans 12:1).
Paul's second letter to the Corinthians indirectly addresses the use of marijuana (pot) when it states, "For you are a temple of the living God . . . says the Lord, 'and touch not the unclean, and I will receive you'" (2Corinthians 6:16 - 17). Christians are admonished to reject those things that are not good for them so that the Father can receive them. These, and other verses, point to the rejection of this plant for recreational purposes.
Judgment Call
While the recreational use of this plant would not be acceptable, its medicinal use is another issue entirely. A biblical argument could be made for using it in special cases such as with those experiencing chronic pain or someone who is suffering before they die. For example, Proverbs states the following principle that could be applied to the plant's medicinal use, "Give strong drink (alcohol) to him who is perishing, and wine to those who are of heavy hearts" (Proverbs 31:6, HBFV).
The above principle of using a substance to alleviate true suffering lends itself to a possible biblical (but not legal) justification of medicinal marijuana (pot) use. Believers, however, should always pray for God to reveal his will in their particular situations. They should also be aware of the possible consequences, both physically and legally, that might come in whatever decision they make.