 A Pew Research Center survey conducted last year determined what someone probably could have guessed: Religious people are less likely to support legal marijuana than those describing themselves as atheists and agnostics.
Just over half (54%) of the poll respondents who identified with a religious group of any type thought that cannabis should be legal for medical and recreational use. On the other hand, more than three-quarters (76%) of those polled who consider themselves atheists, agnostics, or "nothing in particular" support cannabis legalization. Religious groups in Missouri, North Dakota, and Arkansas have all actively worked to push against legalization measures moving in their respective states. The religious affiliation doesn’t seem to matter in this case, as they are mostly all on the same anti-cannabis page. However, their reasons for not supporting cannabis can vary. One board member at the Islamic Society of Fargo-Moorhead, Mohamed Sanaullah, said, “… from the Islamic point of view, any intoxicant for that matter is forbidden.” However he did acknowledge some variance that could be up to the individual, saying, “… it's a personal decision.” But he also added, “If they're more religious, they probably should be voting no." Some other religious groups are basing their opposition on misinformation and a lack of understanding of some of the facts. In Arkansas, the church-based group: Family Council Action Committee has actively tried to compare cannabis legalization with the drug epidemics of methamphetamine, heroin and fentanyl. The group has so far distributed half a million flyers to churches throughout the state with highly misleading, and fear mongering titles. Some of those are called, "Arkansas Does Not Need Another Drug Problem" and "Deadly meth, opioids, heroin and fentanyl are already destroying too many lives." Comments are closed.
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