MIAMI – Everglades Moon Local Council has learned that Florida’s surgeon general is now offering spiritual advice, particularly on cannabis.
The Witches and Wiccans of the Everglades Moon Local Council of the Covenant of the Goddess reject Dr. Joe Ladapo’s statements regarding cannabis and spirituality as misguided and harmful. His comments, rooted in Christian dominionism, reveal an intent to impose patriarchal Christian views on spirituality, suggesting baseless spiritual risks associated with cannabis use. Such rhetoric misrepresents and disrespects diverse faiths, many of which use cannabis in sacred and ceremonial practices.
Cannabis has long held a place in spiritual and religious traditions worldwide. For Rastafarians, certain Hindu sects, specific Sufi orders, elements of Taoism, African Traditional religions, and modern Pagan branches, cannabis serves as a conduit for heightened spiritual awareness, divine connection, and healing. Dr. Ladapo’s attempt to conflate cannabis with moral degradation is a transparent effort to stoke fear of spiritual dangers and undermine the spiritual legitimacy of these practices.
The Witches and Wiccans of the Everglades Moon Local Council emphasize personal autonomy and the right to make individual choices about spiritual substances like cannabis, particularly regarding individual spiritual well-being—a right protected under the U.S. Constitution. We stand firmly against any attempt to infringe upon this freedom or to vilify the practices of faiths that do not align with a narrow, conservative, Christian-centric worldview.