Oregon Mission President Instructs Missionaries Not To Baptize Medical Marijuana Users Into The LDS Church

A discussion of medical marijuana and the LDS Church has broken out on Wheat And Tares. They reference another post on Mormon Mentality in which it was reported that a mission president has actually ruled that missionaries are not authorized to baptize users of medical marijuana into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This is much more authoritative and mildly at variance with the interpretation I provided in my April 9th, 2011 post entitled "Is Medical Marijuana A Violation Of The Latter-Day Saints Word Of Wisdom Health Code?"

The specific instruction was published on page 18 of the Portland Oregon Mission Resource Handbook, under the heading “missionary helps”, and is replicated below:

“The fact that Oregon state law allows doctors to prescribe the smoking of marijuana for 'medicinal' purposes does not change the fact that marijuana remains an illegal drug according to the federal laws of the United States, and the Supreme Court of the United States specifically ruled in 2005 that federal law take precedence over state legislation in this matter. Therefore, the Church Handbook statement quoted above ('members should not use any substance that contains illegal drugs') applies in this situation. Unless we receive different instructions from the Brethren, no individual who smokes marijuana for 'medicinal purposes' can be baptized a member of the Church in this mission. The prescription drug Marinol (synthetic THC), a capsule approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, provides legal relief to those who take it. Its use under competent medical supervision is not a violation of the Word of Wisdom and therefore does not prevent a person from being baptized.”

It appears the driving issue is legality. Although many local and state laws permit medical marijuana use and distribution, federal law forbids it. Federal law takes precedence over any lesser laws, and the Twelfth Article of Faith states "We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law". Consequently, the mission president's ruling correlates directly with the Twelfth Article of Faith.

Note that the mission president uses the specific language "in this mission". This means that while the mission president is speaking for the Church, he's only applying it within the geographical confines of his stewardship. And why do I assume he's speaking for the Church? Because mission presidents, like stake presidents, are the lowest level in the Priesthood chain of command entitled to initiate direct communication with General Authorities, to include members of the Quorum of the Twelve. Consequently, I do not believe this mission president issued this guidance without first clearing it with the senior leadership of the LDS Church.

Unaddressed in the mission president's guidance is the impact upon current LDS members. How does an LDS member who uses medical marijuana answer the Word of Wisdom question during a temple worthiness interview? Base upon the guidance given above, I don't see how such a person could answer Yes when asked if he or she obeys the Word of Wisdom. This not only can lead to denial of a temple recommend, but I foresee an excessively overzealous bishop actually initiating a disciplinary council to try such a member for his membership. While the latter may be most unlikely, it is possible. A discussion on LDS.net indicates there is still some variance on how different bishops interpret and apply the guidance.

Consequently, it is imperative to disseminate this information as widely as possible to prevent any unnecessary and unpleasant surprises. In particular, missionaries have a duty to communicate this information to investigators in advance.

Now whether or not medical marijuana use should disqualify an investigator from baptism is a different issue. Personally, I have no problem with using medical marijuana as long as some law permits it; this point of view is also shared by 89 percent of respondents to Wheat And Tares online poll. However, since neither Wheat And Tares nor I are General Authorities, our opinions are not authoritative. Those whose opinions are authoritative have spoken, and have said No. So be it. Any activism to change this is better directed towards changing the federal law; identify and support candidates for the U.S. Senate and House willing to decriminalize medical marijuana at the federal level.

Is Medical Marijuana A Violation Of The Latter-Day Saints Word Of Wisdom Health Code?

Update February 22nd, 2012: I have learned that a mission president has instructed missionaries in his district NOT to baptize those who use medical marijuana; this can be considered an official Church position. Read updated post HERE.

Because the Word of Wisdom was discussed at the just-concluded 181st Annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, discussion has naturally spread to the LDS Bloggernacle. On Grace for Grace, the need to move beyond the "accountable" part of the Word of Wisdom and to consider other aspects, such as the use of wholesome herbs, fruits, grains, and the sparing consumption of meat for overall dietary management to combat and prevent obesity, is discussed. Even before the conference, Jeff Lindsay was also discussing this expanded application on Mormanity.

The "accountable" part of the Word of Wisdom is that part that affects temple worthiness as well as other specific forms of worthiness. The substances specifically and repeatedly identified by Church leadership as impacting temple worthiness are coffee, tea, tobacco, alcohol, and recreational drugs. Consequently, if one refrains from using those substances, one can truthfully answer Yes when asked if he or she abides by the Word of Wisdom during a worthiness interview.

Marijuana is generally considered a recreational drug. But what about medical marijuana? Medical marijuana has become somewhat popularized as a pain management tool for those suffering from terminal or chronic diseases. Some jurisdictions have passed laws legalizing medical marijuana and prescribing authorized means of procurement. But this alone may not guarantee that one will be certified as "temple-worthy".

A casual web search did not reveal any official Church pronouncements about medical marijuana. However, The Seer Stone discussed the issue in December 2009. One commenter indicated that a published lesson plan from the Gospel Doctrine manual would tend to support the contention that medical marijuana would be no barrier to temple access, citing this passage: "Explain that in addition to these substances, we should not a) Use any substance that contains illegal drugs, b) Use any other habit-forming substances except under the care of a competent physician c) Misuse prescription and other drugs." But another commenter opined that "any substance that by its very structure has addictive properties - these would qualify as being against the Word of Wisdom - regardless of legal status", although this person also stated that "we need to replace fear based prohibition laws and the drug war with education and objective understanding of the correct uses and benefits and dangers associated with all of God's gifts".

A blogger on Times and Seasons also suggested that the use of medical marijuana might not be inconsistent with the letter or the spirit of the Word of Wisdom back in January 2004, so long as it is legal.

At this point, it would be useful to remind readers once again that I do NOT speak authoritatively for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; my opinions are basically my best interpretation of Church doctrine. But what concerns me is that a Church member might begin using medical marijuana in good faith that it is a therapeutic susbstance, then go into a temple worthiness interview and get blindsided by an "iron-rod" bishop and denied a temple recommend based upon an honest interpretational dispute. While most bishops are flexible, some are "iron-rodders"; perfection is not a prerequisite to be called as a bishop.

My advice to Latter-day Saints who are or want to become temple-worthy and who are considering the use of medical marijuana:

(1). Ensure it's legal and obtained only by an officially-certified provider. This means there must be a law at some level, either local, county, or state, permitting medical marijuana. It also must be obtained through a physician or any other provider officially certified by the jurisdiction.

(2). Seek personal inspiration or revelation from the Lord through the Holy Spirit. All LDS members have a right, and indeed are formally commissioned upon confirmation as members, to receive the Holy Ghost.

(3). Discuss it with the bishop or stake president in advance; they are the ones who determine temple worthiness and Church members have a right to know in advance whether any proposed course of action would impinge upon temple worthiness.

If a bishop or a stake president has no problem with it, then it's not a problem.