Jesus Drank Wine, Would He Smoke Marijuana?

Recreational use of marijuana will soon be legal in a majority of states.  Is legalization the standard for followers of Jesus, or does the way of Jesus require that we exercise our freedom in favor of being sober minded? In this episode, we start with the experiences of those we know who have regularly used marijuana, and we ask whether marijuana is a form of drunkenness that we are commanded to abstain from by scripture. 

Discussion Questions:

Do you smoke or ingest marijuana, or do you know someone who does?  Can you name some of the benefits and positive attributes of recreational use that you’ve seen or experienced?  Are there any negative effects that you’ve observed?

Wisdom identified a trajectory in the lives of those who continued to use marijuana from a young age and those who eventually stopped using. Have you seen a difference in the lives of those who regularly use marijuana and those who abstain or only use marijuana occasionally?

Is there any difference between drinking alcohol and smoking or ingesting marijuana?  Is one more beneficial or harmful than the other?  

We commonly hear that unlike alcohol or other drugs, marijuana is not addictive.  Have you experienced that or seen that to be true in persons that you know, or have you observed that a growing number of people report a difficulty of giving up marijuana.  

What do you make of the argument that alcohol can be consumed in moderation without getting drunk, while the point of smoking marijuana or edibles is to get high.  

Do you agree that getting high is a form of drunkenness, and that drunkenness is an activity that scripture commands followers of Jesus to refrain from?  

Even if we conclude that followers of Jesus should refrain from smoking marijuana, are there benefits to legalization that Christians should nonetheless support?  Are there downsides to legalization, and should Christians work to reverse the trend toward legalization of recreational use?