Recreational Marijuana Legalization Becomes New Front in the Culture Wars Following Midterms

ST. LOUIS — In a midterm election highlighted by issues such as inflation, crime and abortion — amid a backdrop that the outcome of the vote could be a threat to democracy depending on which candidates won — it turned out that recreational marijuana use has emerged as a new hot-button issue in the culture wars.

The legalization of recreational weed was on the ballot in five states on Nov. 8, when voters in Maryland and Missouri chose to accept ballot measures to legalize marijuana use for those age 21 and up. Voters in deep-red states such as North Dakota, South Dakota and Arkansas voted it down.

While the recreational use of cannabis has never been a hot topic among religious voters, it has seen more opposition by Catholic bishops now that 21 U.S. states and the District of Columbia have approved its use for recreational purposes. Marijuana remains illegal at the federal level.

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In Missouri, the bishops voiced their opposition, an urging that ultimately did little to change minds after the ballot measure was approved by a narrow 53% of voters. 

“While some are focused on the increased state revenues that will be generated by a taxable marijuana industry, we are concerned with the social costs of increased marijuana usage,” the bishops said in a statement on the eve of the vote. “Although usage will be restricted to age 21 and older, legalization sends the message that marijuana is safe and socially acceptable. Many states that have legalized marijuana have the highest teen usage rates. We know that regular marijuana use has been connected to respiratory problems; mental health issues (including increased anxiety and suicidal thoughts) and learning, memory and attention loss.”

The signatories of that statement included St. Louis Archbishop Mitchell Rozanski, Bishop James Johnston of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Bishop W. Shawn McKnight of Jefferson City and Bishop Edward M. Rice of Springfield-Cape Girardeau. 

Like on the issue of abortion, the Catholic Church is taking a leading role in opposing the recreational use of marijuana. While a variety of Protestant denominations have voiced their opposition, its many U.S. Catholic bishops who have publicly condemned its legalization, fearing that it will hurt individuals and families.

Some Republicans aren’t opposed to legalization, especially those with more libertarian views. That has made it difficult for the church to gain total consensus from values voters, who typically cast ballots for the GOP. in local and federal elections. The Missouri amendment, for example, received bi-partisan support.

Various faith traditions have different views regarding marijuana use. For the Catholic Church, the use of any drug — other than for medicinal purposes — is a “grave offense.” It also states in the “Catechism of the Catholic Church” that governments have a duty to protect the health of citizens.

A collection of pro-marijuana baseball caps adorn the counter of a restaurant in downtown St. Louis just days after Missouri voters legalized recreational use of weed. Photo by Clemente Lisi.

While the church has been more vocal regarding issues such as abortion, Pope Francis has spoken out against drug use in the past, saying reducing drug addiction “will not be achieved by the liberalization of drug use.”

It was in 2012, via ballot initiatives, that Colorado and Washington were the first two states where marijuana was legalized. Over the last decade, more states have made weed use legal for medicinal and recreational use. Pew Research Center found in 2021 that 91% of Americans say either that marijuana should be legal for medical and recreational use.

Jamie Morris, executive director of the Missouri Catholic Conference, told Catholic News Agency he was “disappointed, but not surprised” that the measure passed despite being unpopular with the Missouri Baptist Convention and Pro-Choice Missouri, partly because of concerns about the licensing process for dispensaries.

“We have always supported criminal justice reforms and expungement,” he added, “but our view is that you can do that outside of this (amendment), and you can decriminalize without completely legalizing.”

In Maryland, a state with a large Catholic population who has trended for Democrats in recent years, also approved a recreational marijuana measure. Voters there approved it by a margin of nearly 66% of voters.

The Maryland Catholic Conference said in a statement that it “recognizes the concern that the enforcement of cannabis policies has had a disproportionate impact on minority and marginalized communities in the past and that legalizing marijuana has been proposed as a way to address this historic inequity.”

But it also argued that recreational marijuana use “will adversely affect families, communities, workers and health outcomes.” 

Despite the three states that rejected the legalization of marijuana for recreational use, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws pointed to Missouri as a bellwether for what’s to come in the coming elections cycles.

“Missourians have clearly demonstrated that support for ending prohibition isn’t relegated to the coasts or deep blue states, but that it is a commonsense position that resonates with all Americans,” NORML Executive Director Erik Altieri said. “With the approval of Amendment 3, Missouri voters rejected the failed ideas of the past and elected to chart a new path oriented on justice and sound public policy.”

Clemente Lisi is a senior editor at Religion Unplugged and teaches journalism at The King’s College in New York City. He is the author of “The FIFA World Cup: A History of the Planet’s Biggest Sporting Event.” Follow him on Twitter @ClementeLisi.