Pope francis
(CNN) — Are you stoned?
That’s the message Pope Francis seemed to be sending lawmakers Friday, saying the growing worldwide trend toward legalizing recreational drugs is a very, very bad idea.
“Drug addiction is an evil, and with evil there can be no yielding or compromise,” he told participants at the International Drug Enforcement Conference in Rome.
The Pope’s call isn’t shocking. Francis has spoken of the dangers of drug use before.
But it lends his voice and the authority of the Catholic Church to the growing worldwide debate over legalizing or at least decriminalizing some recreational drugs, most notably marijuana.
Two U.S. states — Colorado and Washington — have made marijuana use legal, and several other states, cities and countries have decriminalized its use or have announced plans to do so.
Uruguay passed a law in December to create a regulated marijuana marketplace. Jamaican officials said this month that they plan to modify that nation’s laws to decriminalize pot use and possession.
Additional Reading
Alcohol: moderate use a gateway to alcoholism
Islam versus Christianity: Utilitarian purpose of the Islamic teachings
Categories: Addiction, alcoholism, Health, Highlight, Medicine, Utilitarian value