Religious Attitudes to Drug Abuse

A drug is a substance, which when taken, affects the body or mind.

• Illegal drugs – Drugs which are illegal to possess, sell or use, put into three classifications according to their potential harm and addictiveness 
• Prescription drugs – Drugs legally obtained only with a doctor’s consent
• Recreational drugs – Drugs taken by people for fun
• Addictive – Causing physical or mental dependency on a substance that is very difficult to overcome

Reasons

• Curiosity
• Peer pressure 
• Depression/stress
• Family problems
• Lack of knowledge
• Boredom
• Help to stay awake

Consequences

• People around them worry
•  Damage health
• Death
• Mental illness
• Violence

Legal Drugs

• Caffeine
• Tobacco
• Alcohol
• Paracetamol
• Aspirin
• Insulin
• Antibiotics
• Morphine (used in hospital to relieve pain)
• Steroids 

Class A Drugs

• Cocaine, ecstasy, heroin, LSD, magic mushrooms
• If caught for possession: up to 7 years imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine
• If caught supplying: Life imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine

Class B Drugs

• Amphetamine, cannabis
• If caught for possession: up to 5 years imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine
• If caught supplying: up to 14 years imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine

Class C Drugs

• Tranquilizers, anabolic steroids
• If caught for possession: up to 2 years imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine
• If caught supplying: up to 5 years imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine

• Roman Catholics and Church of England – Part of the Eucharist is alcohol
• Jesus drank in the bible – In the Last Supper and the Wedding at Cana where he turned water into wine
• Methodists – Use unfermented grape juice instead of wine
• Ephesians 5:17-18 – “Therefore do not be foolish but understand what the Lord’s will is, do not get drunk on wine which leads to immorality instead be filled with the spirit

Arguments For Using Drugs

• Prochoice
• Self control – There is no problem
• Improve performance
• Jesus drank wine

Arguments Against Using Drugs

• Prolife
• Harms our temple
• Affects people around us
• Lose sight of God

Tobacco and Smoking 

• About 13 million adults in the UK smoke, 29% of all males and 25% of all females 
• 80% smokers started as teenagers 
• It is illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone under the age of 18 
• 120,000 people die every year from smoking, 330 a day 
• Over 17,000 children under 5 are treated in hospital each year due to passive smoking 
• Illnesses due to smoking cost the NHS £400 million each year 

Alcohol and Drinking 

• A depressant drug that relaxes the drinker but damages the liver severely 
• 9/10 adults drink alcohol in Britain 
• 28,000 people die each year because of alcohol related accidents 
• It costs the NHS £150 million to deal with alcohol related problems 
• Women should only drink 14 units a week and men should only drink 21 units

Golden Rule - "Love only our God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength and love your neighbor as you love yourself"; no matter what happens you have to stand by your neighbors. 

Good Samaritan - Jesus told us to follow the example of the Good Samaritan; stop and help those in need even though you don't know them. 

Adulterous Woman - "Let the one without sin be the first to throw a stone at her...neither do I condemn you, go now and leave your life of sin"; everyone makes mistakes, we should give second chances like Jesus did. 

Teaching on Forgiveness - "I tell you, you must forgive him more than seven times. You must forgive him even if he wrongs you seventy seven times seven times"; always forgive, no sin is too big.

• Avoiding scandal (Gk: skandalon - stumbling block): "if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall." - 1 Corinthians 
• Great Commandment - implies a 'just love of self' 
• Temple of the Holy Spirit: "Do you not know that your bodies are the Temples of the Holy Spirit..." - 1 Corinthians

S S C E R D L I T H S G C S S S H 

Sovereignty Stewardship, Classification, Experimental Recreational Dependent, Legal Illegal, Temple of the Holy Spirit, Great Command, Skandalon, Solvents Sedatives Hallucinogen