Drug Abuse

• Alcohol is permitted in Christianity
• St Paul advised Timothy to drink some wine to aid digestion
• Holy Communion- wine used in Church of England and Roman Catholic but not in Methodist Church
• Jesus turned water into wine at a wedding in Cana
• Proverbs-getting drunk will make you loud and foolish
• Ephesians- drunkeness will ruin you
• Illegal drugs regarded as harmful
• "The body is a temple of the Holy Spirit"
• Sanctity of Life- drugs can kill
• "I, your God give life and I take it away"
• Rastafarians use marijuana to heighten spiritual awareness
• There are no direct teachings in the Bible to sat drug abuse is wrong

• "We give though this Quran all that gives health and is a grace to those who believe"
• Alcohol and illegal drugs are haram= forbidden
• Body is on loan until Judgement Day
• Drugs cloud the mind and are to Khamr= to cover
• Effects of illegal drugs would make it impossible to pray
• "Wine...are filthy tricks of Satan"

• One of 5 precepts= "Avoid intoxicants that cloud the mind"- don't take drugs
• "Avoid harming living beings"- being under the influence may cause you to become violent
• "Health is the greatest of gifts"
• Eighth fold path

                          =Right livelihood- avoid working in the alcohol or tobacco industry

                          =Right Awareness and Meditation- using drugs would prevent this