Otey on Christians and "Legalized" Marijuana

Melvin Otey (Faulkner University - Thomas Goode Jones School of Law) has posted an abstract of What Christians Need to Know About “Legalized” Marijuana (Themelios 48.2 (2023): 395–403) on SSRN. Here is the abstract:

 

As states continue to decriminalize marijuana and usage escalates in American culture, Christians must increasingly navigate their associations with the drug. The various implications of marijuana use are much discussed, but the true legal landscape is often misunderstood. Despite recent changes in individual state laws, it is still a federal crime to possess, use, or sell the drug anywhere in the United States. This article argues that—aside from unrelated social, medical, ethical, and spiritual considerations—Christians must abstain from either medical or recreational marijuana use because they are obliged as a matter of faith to obey federal authorities.