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Decade Milestone: First Church of Cannabis Reigns
Ten years ago, Indiana got an unexpected spiritual awakening—complete with incense, music, and a serious conversation about religious freedom and marijuana.
On July 1, 2015, the First Church of Cannabis held its first service in Indianapolis. While no marijuana was actually smoked, the moment sparked national attention and a legal challenge that tested the boundaries of Indiana's newly enacted Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA).
And, if I'm being honest, I might've had something to do with it.Back in 2015, I was sitting at Nicky Blaine's in downtown Indianapolis—scotch in one hand, cigar in the other—reading the final version of RFRA. The law had been pushed in response to the legalization of same-sex marriage, and was framed as a way to protect people of faith from government overreach.
But as I read, something jumped out at me: a key line had been removed. Earlier drafts of the bill had specifically said RFRA couldn't be used as a defense in criminal cases. That clause was now gone.
That meant someone could, in theory, claim religious protection for actions that would otherwise be illegal—like, say, smoking marijuana.
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