Colorado Church Deems Alcohol Acceptable, Cannabis Disastrous

– Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila of the Archdiocese of Denver criticized cannabis legalization and use, linking it to societal problems such as homelessness, and referring to it as a “gateway drug”. He did not address the negative impact of criminalization.
– The writer of the article, Ricardo Baca, counters this view, pointing out that cannabis has been unfairly classified alongside harmful substances, and that criminalization has led to the unjust punishment of marginalized groups. He also argues that cannabis is not illicit since it has been legalized in many states and that its regulated use can offer relief for many people suffering from various ailments.
– Baca challenges the archbishop’s favorable stance towards alcohol, pointing out that it causes significant changes in consciousness and is responsible for many deaths. He also asserts that the archbishop’s prohibitionist stance overlooks the public safety and economic benefits of cannabis legalization. He encourages the archbishop to offer fact-based, data-supported, holistic information to the community.

Denver Archbishop’s Misguided Views on Cannabis Legalization

Denver’s Archbishop, Most Reverend Samuel J. Aquila, voiced an erroneous critique on cannabis use and legalization in his recent 9,000-word open “pastoral letter.” He labeled the plant “destructive to society,” conflating it with heavier drugs and societal issues like homelessness, leaning on the outdated “gateway drug theory.”

Unjustly classified as a highly harmful substance under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, Cannabis has been a political tool, disproportionately criminalizing marginalized communities. This has caused more harm than the plant itself could ever inflict.

Most states have legalized cannabis in some form, contradicting the Archbishop’s use of the term “illicit”. The Archbishop defends alcohol use, segregating it from other “recreational drugs.” However, alcohol is linked to an estimated 140,000 U.S. deaths annually, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health. Cannabis use, on the other hand, has no known links to overdose deaths or increased mortality rates.

The prohibitionist stance of the Archbishop overlooks the proven safety and economic benefits of cannabis legalization, which provides safer, tested products and boosts state revenues and job creation. It’s crucial that the Catholic Church communicates fact-based, data-supported, holistic information to its 600,000-strong Colorado congregation and beyond.

Concerns about drug abuse and societal impacts are valid. However, the Archbishop’s take on cannabis is flawed. A public health approach coupled with responsible regulation is a more compassionate, effective, and just path forward.

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