A New Hampshire newspaper is reporting that some old white dude got busted for smoking the gange and got off because he swore he was only toking because of his religion –which is Rastafarian. Seriously.
A Belknap County Superior Court jury cleared a Barnstead resident of a felony drug charge last week, siding with a defense lawyer who encouraged the jury to nullify the verdict on the grounds that the marijuana use was part of his Rastafarian religion.
I’ve gotta’ wonder about this whole religious freedom angle here a little bit, don’t I?
I mean this guy gets to take illegal drugs because of freedom of religion but I can’t say I don’t want to pay for some chick’s baby-go-bye bye pills because I’m a Catholic. No, that doesn’t fly. Does it? Well, I guess it does. But it shouldn’t.
I wonder if I’m soon going to have to pay for his dope. You know, because it’s his religion and all.
September 19, 2012 at 11:06 pm
Congressional approval predates the HHS Mandate. If the HHS Mandate says that Congress does not exist, which it does, by not seeking approval and informed consent, Congress does not exist? Baby-go-bye-bye-pills. Congress-go-bye-bye-pills.
September 20, 2012 at 8:22 pm
The smoker, not to mention New Hampshire, which is becoming more libertarian- thanks to the Free State Project- isn't your enemy. In fact, they are very likely your friends, in the sense that every party to this judicial action can understand the problem and probably don't think should have to pay for those pills either.
September 22, 2012 at 7:57 am
@ August: Libertarians are the enemies of anyone who objects to statism, since they do precious little to dismantle the state and a hell of a lot to dismantle every institution that stands between the atomized individual and the state. Have you even heard of the Netherlands?
On the other hand, however, there is legal precedence for this—wine for use in Communion was grandfathered in during Prohibition.