Freedom of Religion

The first amendment of the constitution guarantees people with the right to practice any religion they wish to. The religion of Rastafarianism however involves the use of marijuana in religious practices. Pot however is also a Schedule I controlled under United States Law. Currently Rastafarians are not allowed to smoke weed in the United States and if they are caught they will be prosecuted just the same as anyone else. By not allowing Rasta’s to smoke reefer the government is infringing on their religious rights. The government’s ban on grass for even Rastafarians is unreasonable because there have been religious exceptions for controlled substances in the past. The 1919 Volstead Act banned the creation, consumption and sale of alcoholic beverages exceeding .5% alcohol by volume however the government made an exception for Christian churches to keep using wine during religious gatherings. Also, as of 2006 a Brazilian church located in New Mexico was permitted to use a tea containing DMT (a controlled hallucinogenic substance) in their religious practices. It seems unfair that the government will make all of these exceptions to other religions and not permit Rastafarians to fully practice their religion by smoking ganja.

Paul Whitman