Cannabis in Vatican City

Cannabis in Vatican City is illegal for both use and production.[1] Due to the very small size of the city-state at 0.44 km2 (0.17 square miles), there is no space for the cultivation of marijuana; the only arable land in the country is the private Gardens of Vatican City. Smoking or otherwise consuming cannabis in the premises of the Vatican is cause for arrest by the Corps of Gendarmerie of Vatican City.

As a result, the only pharmacy in the Vatican City, the Vatican Pharmacy, does not carry any sort of cannabis, pharmaceuticals or products derived from the plant.

Holy See on Cannabis

Given that the Pope is leader of the Holy See, whose sovereign secular territory includes the Vatican City as an absolute monarchy, legislation concerning cannabis is dictated by the positions of the Pope himself according to canon law. Although not a strictly necessary outcome, it is most likely that a Pope who advocates for marijuana use would allow for it in the canon law of the Holy See, and therefore the Vatican City under its jurisdiction.

According to Paragraph 2291 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, use of drugs in general is castigated and prohibited for the Catholic faithful:[2]

"2291 The use of drugs inflicts very grave damage on human health and life. Their use, except on strictly therapeutic grounds, is a grave offense. Clandestine production of and trafficking in drugs are scandalous practices. They constitute direct co-operation [sic] in evil, since they encourage people to practices gravely contrary to the moral law."

The exception of "strictly therapeutic grounds", is not clarified as the Catholic Church does not have an official teaching on particular drugs per se, and a "drug" in this context includes pharmaceuticals. This is inferred by the preceding Paragraph 2290 of the Catechism which prohibits "the abuse of food, alcohol, tobacco, or medicine."[2]

In 2014, Pope Francis spoke in opposition to the legalization of drugs, including cannabis, for recreational use.[3]

References

  1. ↑ "Legal status of marijuana in Vatican City". www.cannabis.info. Retrieved 2018-07-03.
  2. 1 2 Pope John Paul II (1992). "Catechism of the Catholic Church - Part 3, Section 2, Chapter 2". www.vatican.va. Archived from the original on 11 Apr 2017.
  3. ↑ "Pope Francis Speaks Out Against Legalization of Marijuana and Other Drugs". Newsweek. 2014-06-20. Retrieved 2018-07-03.
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