Using marijuana for recreational purpose in Canada

Question:

Hello

Is it אסור for an individual to ingest/smoke/inhale marijuana for recreational purposes in a country where it is legal to do so? The massive body of evidence has shown that alcohol is far more damaging to the body and that marijuana is not as addictive as sugar or alcohol. Of course there would be individuals who have addictive personalities and anything like alcohol, gambling or smoking marijuana would not be suited for them. However this doesn’t apply to the majority of the population. Additionally, shas is replete with examples of chazal praising alcohol drinking whilst criticizing those for whom it wasn’t suited- see

Berachot 40a
Yoma 76
Berachot 57a,
Bava Basra 90
Sanhedrin 70a
Megillah 17b
And more

Many thanks.

Answer:

From your question I take it that you feel that according to halacha and Torah law, essentially taking marijuana is permitted, but the only issue with is it is that the local countries outlawed it, but from a Torah perspective it is fine. I take issue with that. The fact that it is illegal ( at least up until now) in almost every country is because it is considered dangerous, and damages the body. One of the cardinal commandments of the Torah is that we are very strictly commanded to preserve our health, as it says “u’shmartem meod l’nafshoseicem” “be exceedingly careful to guard your life. This was the universal understanding that it is not healthy for the body of the mind- do you really mean to say that everyone has got it wrong?!. The fact that there are liberals that want to permit everything under the sun, including what was universally accepted as dangerous, will not change the facts. Additionally to rationalize that alcohol is more dangerous, does not in any way affect the fact that drugs are dangerous and damaging. Even if alcohol is so dangerous as you claim, do two wrongs make a right? Obviously not, so how could we say that the Torah would permit us to take drugs? I hope you understand me

Best wishes