The Facts
- 90% of all alcohol and drug addictions begin in high school.
- Marijuana:
- 104 times more likely to try cocaine. Damages the memory, increases risk of heart attacks, decreases motivation. Contains 5-7 times more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than tobacco.
- Alcohol:
- Teens who start drinking alcohol by age 15 are 5x more likely to become alcoholics. The 3 leading causes of deaths for ages 15-24 are car crashes, homicide, and suicide — alcohol is leading factor in all 3.
What does the Bible have to say?
Q. “I heard that the Bible doesn’t say drinking alcohol is a sin.”
- “Well, no, the Bible does not say that drinking alcohol is a sin, but it does become sinful (very easily), if any of the following happen:
- If you are not of legal age. (Romans 13:1-7, Matthew 22:21)
- If you fail to do so in moderation – meaning you should not get drunk or even buzzed. (1 Thessalonians 5:6-8, Galatians 5:21, Romans 12:1-3; 13:13)
- If your consumption leads you to dependence upon it. (1 Timothy 3:8, Titus 2:3, Luke 21:34)
- If doing so… in any way… leads others into sin. (Romans 14:21, 2 Corinthians 6:3, Matthew 13:41)
What does the Youth Catechism of the Catholic Church have to say?
- Using drugs is a sin because it is an act of self-destruction and thus an offence against the life that God has given us out of love. Every form of a person’s dependence on legal substances (alcohol, medication, tobacco) and even more so on illegal drugs is an exchange of freedom for slavery; it damages the health and life of the person concerned and also does great harm to the people around him. Every time a person loses or forgets himself by becoming intoxicated, which can also include excessive eating and drinking, indulgence in sexual activity, or speeding with an automobile, he loses some of his human dignity and freedom and therefore sins against God. This should be distinguished from the reasonable, conscious, and moderate use of enjoyable things. YouCat #389
Pope Francis speaking about drugs & alcohol:
- “I would reaffirm what I have stated on another occasion – no to every type of drug use. It is as simple as that … But to say this no, one has to say yes to life, yes to love, yes to others, yes to education, yes to greater job opportunities. If we say yes to all these things, there will be no room for illicit drugs, for alcohol abuse, for other forms of addiction.”
- “In life, there will always be people who will make you offers to slow or impede you on your way. Please, go against the current. Be courageous… and when people say ‘have a little alcohol, take a bit of drugs’. No. Go against this civilization that is causing us so much harm.”
How to respond to peer pressure:
- Choose freedom instead of slavery.
- Choose your friends.
- Find your greater YES in life!
