What Different Religions Say About Marijuana And Its Use

Unlike many religions, the Baha’i Faith is relatively clear about the acceptable use of marijuana and other derivatives like hashish: It’s not allowed. The founder of the faith, the Baha’u’llah (pictured above), did not directly address marijuana in the Kitab-i-Aqdas, which is the Baha’i’s most holy book of laws. However, he did talk about a prohibition of drugs like opium, as well as “any substance that induceth sluggishness and torpor,” which most Baha’i assume to include marijuana. His successor, ‘Abdu’l-Baha, reiterated that stance, and even went further to purposefully identify hashish and call it “the worst of all intoxicants.”

Like with opium, ‘Abdu’l-Baha preached that smoking hash would only cause the user to struggle to connect with God, making it a poor choice for anyone truly seeking spiritual enlightenment. Along with both the Baha’u’llah and Abdu’l-Baha, their next successor in the faith, Shoghi Effendi, also argued that marijuana use was incompatible with living a just life. Like Abdu’l-Baha, Effendi called out hash as a banned drug, comparing it to other substances like peyote or LSD.

For the Baha’i, the only exception to the kibosh on marijuana use is if it is prescribed by a doctor for medical use. That means Baha’i followers might be in luck with medical marijuana, but recreational use is certainly a no-go.