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Deciding Whether Using Weed Is a Sin

Clearly, the Bible has plenty to say about not drinking enough alcohol to become drunk. It also offers insight into the dangers of being “mastered” by a vice. However, any verses that are applied to marijuana use, or using any other drug, are inference.

So… is it a sin to smoke weed? Looking at the whole picture and considering how marijuana use can impact one’s life can bring clarity to the issue.

What Does Marijuana Use Say About the Individual’s Values?

Christians have the responsibility to regulate their behavior in every area of their life according to Scripture. When deciding whether using marijuana recreationally is a sin, there’s one more important consideration: the effects of marijuana usage on others around you.

Romans 14:20 states, “Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble.” The issue in the verse had to do with whether or not to eat something previously deemed “unclean.” However, the principle may apply to marijuana use.

The individual may be able to justify using weed if it doesn’t cause lapses in judgment or lead to addiction. However, their use may reflect poorly on their values and cause someone else to justify their own substance abuse. If their recreational substance use is instrumental in another’s addiction or relapse, then it would be better for them to abstain.