Does the Bible APPROVE
of smoking POT (marijuana)?

Q. What does the Bible say about smoking marijuana or pot?

A. The specific subject of marijuana is not mentioned in the Bible. However, we can draw certain conclusions based on principles found in the Bible. Let's first read the 12th chapter of Ecclesiastes in the Old Testament, and then notice the last three verses:

"But, my son, be warned: there is no end of opinions ready to be expressed. Studying them can go on forever and become very exhausting! Here is my final conclusion: fear God and obey his commandments, for this is the entire duty of man. For God will judge us for everything we do, including every hidden thing, good or bad." (Ecclesiastes 12:12-14, The Living Bible)

The answer to this question is really more of a principle and not really a black and white answer. In Exodus 20 of the Old Testament the commandments are stated. The principles needed to determine if marijuana or pot is acceptable are found in the first and sixth commandments:

"You shall have no other gods before Me."

and

"You shall not murder." (Exodus 20:3, 13, NKJV)

God has given us life. He has created certain herbs and plants for eating and healing.

"Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs." (Genesis 9:3, NKJV).

Also, Revelation 22:2:

"In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. " (Revelation 22:2, NKJV)

Not every leaf is for eating or healing though. We certainly wouldn't want to eat poison ivy for instance.

Which leads to another point. Our bodies are to be the temple of God. We usually think of a temple being a building. However, humans are God's temple. If someone has submitted their life to God, He will live in them. He will be their God and they will in turn be His people. The New Covenant spoken of in the Bible is a contract between a person and God to promise to live His way of life. God looks into the temple as it were, the flat part of the face in a human, and welcomes those who by their conscience and actions have been keeping themselves separate from idols, darkness, the ways of the world and Satan the devil, the god of this world (Ephesians 2:2).

"If any one destroys [or abuses] God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and that temple you are." (1Corinthians 3:17, RSV).

Also, 2Corinthians 6:16-18 :

"And what agreement has the temple of God with idols?  For you are the temple of the living God.  As God has said: 'I will dwell in them and walk among them.  I will be their God, and they shall be My people.  Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord.  Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.  I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.'" (2Corinthians 6:16-18, NKJV)

The conscience is the key. Here we have seen what the whole duty of man is to the One God who will judge even the hidden things, good or bad, done by all humanity. In addition, there is much scientific and medical evidence concerning the negative short and long-term effects to the human body of using marijuana. A good explanation of this can be found at the following web site: www.drugabuse.gov/DrugPages/Marijuana.html