First Church of Cannabis Approved in Indiana

Indiana will soon be home to The First Church of Cannabis, as the marijuana-inspired church has been approved by the state. 

The Washington Post reports that church founder Bill Levin proposed the church in response to Indiana’s controversial religious freedom law, which critics say discriminate against homosexuals. 

Secretary of State Connie Lawson approved the church as a religious corporation, according to the Post. 

The church is “based on love and understanding with compassion for all” and has cannabis listed as its sacrament. 

Levin said, “If someone is smoking in our church, God bless them. This is a church to show a proper way of life, a loving way to live life. We are called ‘cannataerians.’”

The founder does not identify as religious. 

“I’m very faith-driven, I’m very spiritual and I’m filled with love,” Levin said. “I find that most religions are misled into gross perversions of what they are meant to be. This path has led me to lead a religion that people in today’s world can relate to it. We don’t have any guilt doctrine built in. We don’t have any sin built in.”

Marijuana remains illegal in Indiana for both medical and recreational purposes. 

Publication date: April 2, 2015