In a statement dated September 10, 2024, the two bishops of North Dakota state their opposition to the legalization of recreational marijuana in our state. Their full statement, as well as additional resources, may be found on the North Dakota Catholic Conference web site.
They highlight “That They Might Have Life”, a Pastoral Letter published in November of 2023 by Most Rev. Samuel Aquila, the former Bishop of the Diocese of Fargo, currently the Archbishop of the Diocese of Denver. The State of Colorado legalized marijuana in 2012. In an opening paragraph, he wrote:
“In Colorado, we are now a decade into this experiment. As more studies come out and more deaths from fentanyl pile up, we now have an overwhelming amount of data that reinforces what we have known to be true all along: the legalization of marijuana and cultural acceptance of drug use have been disastrous to our society.”
To read the Letter online or to download a PDF document, click this link:
Aquila’s Pastoral Letter
“That They Might Have Life“