Churches Share Concerns over Marijuana Use

Brian Christopher

The religious community continues to sound off on the issue of marijuana use and decriminalization.  Despite having lost ground with the government in respect of its protest to the recent passage of an associated law, the Council of Churches remains vocal in its objection.  This morning, Pastor Lance Lewis, the President of the National Evangelical Association of Belize, and Father Brian Christopher of the Jesuit community shared individual, as well as collective positions on the matter.  As uneasy as he is about the consumption of marijuana in general, Father Brian is more concerned about the effects of cannabis on young adults.  While Pastor Lance is partial to the use of hemp in other areas of industry, he too opposes the personal consumption of the drug.

Fr. Brian Christopher, Member, Jesuit Community

“I’m also concerned about the use of drugs among youth, but I would put that in terms of alcohol or tobacco as well.  I think that the use of any kind of controlled substance like that at a young age is going to affect brain development and it’s going to make, the studies say that it makes young people who try it before the age of sixteen, you’re a certain number of times more likely to develop an addiction later on.  I don’t know that decriminalizing it is going to make it more appealing to youth, or the counterargument of keeping it illegal actually makes it more appealing.  There is something of the draw, we want things that we’re told we can’t have.”

Lance Lewis

Pastor Lance Lewis, President, NEAB

“I am against the smoking of marijuana or the use of marijuana in candies and vapes, whatever.  When you smoke it, it goes to your blood stream much, much faster than when it is in a fudge or whatever, it takes longer so the effects go fast.  So I am against the use of it.”

Marleni Cuellar

“You are against the use of it.”

Pastor Lance Lewis

“The use of marijuana in terms of smoking or vaporizing and maybe ingesting.  I am not against marijuana in terms of medical purposes and I don’t think the country has reached there yet to look at all these other areas.  I think it is hemp really, and it can be used for material, in terms of rope and other stuff.”