The decision to reclassify marijuana for its medical benefits is neither a catastrophe nor a simple victory but is instead a policy shift that allows faithful Christians to reject the cultural chaos of recreational drug use without abandoning those dealing with illness and pain.
A week before Christmas, President Donald Trump reclassified marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III, a move that would finally recognize what millions know from experience: Cannabis has legitimate medical applications. “People who struggle with chronic pain, including the elderly, cancer patients, and wounded soldiers, have spent years begging for this change,” Trump told reporters.
Former Vice President Mike Pence’s foundation immediately attacked the move as “a win for the weed industry.” In addition, 26 House Republicans warned that it “will send the wrong message to children, worsen addiction issues, and give billions in tax cuts to the weed industry.”
They’re not entirely wrong. But wounded veterans are still suffering.