--- description: In pot they trust title: Indiana Religious Freedom Law Breeds First Church of Cannabis image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5e36597b86383b71/698781223c1639652e451fa0/marijuana.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [U.S.](/section/us/) ## U.S. Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [faith](/tag/faith/) ## faith Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Indiana Religious Freedom Law Breeds 'First Church of Cannabis' by [Maya Rhodan](/author/maya-rhodan/) ## Maya Rhodan Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Mar 31, 2015 12:33 PM CUT  Marijuana plants are seen in an indoor cultivation in Montevideo December 6, 2013\. Uruguay's senate will vote on December 10 to create a government body to control the cultivation and sale of marijuana and allow residents to grow it at home or as part of smoking clubs. The use of marijuana is already legal in the South American nation, but sale and cultivation is not. The Senate is expected to vote on the measure, which is backed by leftist President Jose Mujica. Picture taken December 6, 2013\. REUTERS/Andres Stapff (URUGUAY - Tags: POLITICS DRUGS SOCIETY) - RTX16AZG Marijuana plants are seen in an indoor cultivation in Montevideo December 6, 2013\. Uruguay's senate will vote on December 10 to create a government body to control the cultivation and sale of marijuana and allow residents to grow it at home or as part of smoking clubs. The use of marijuana is already legal in the South American nation, but sale and cultivation is not. The Senate is expected to vote on the measure, which is backed by leftist President Jose Mujica. Picture taken December 6, 2013\. REUTERS/Andres Stapff (URUGUAY - Tags: POLITICS DRUGS SOCIETY) - RTX16AZGAndres Stapff—Reuters by [Maya Rhodan](/author/maya-rhodan/) ## Maya Rhodan Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Mar 31, 2015 12:33 PM CUT Indiana’s controversial Religious Freedom Restoration Act is facing its first real test — after Governor Mike Pence signed the controversial law, an Indiana man successfully filed to establish the “First Church of Cannabis Inc.” The church is based on “love and understanding with compassion for all,” according to its founder’s interview with the [Washington _Post_](http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2015/03/30/the-first-church-of-cannabis-was-approved-after-indianas-religious-freedom-law-was-passed/ "undefined"), and its sacrament, naturally, is cannabis. The church doesn’t plan to buy or sell marijuana, which is still illegal in Indiana, but it will grow hemp. The church’s founder Bill Levin considers most religious holy texts things of the past. In his church, parishioners should have a profound understanding of “The Emperor Wears No Clothes,” he said. The church’s followers, called “cannataerians” also have a set of [guiding principles](https://www.facebook.com/Cannabiterian/posts/803235619750572 "undefined"), the first of them: “don’t be an a—hole.” It may sound like a joke, but the church’s establishment is a real product of the new Indiana law that limits the state government’s ability to impede on an individual’s religious beliefs. Because the church celebrates the drug under the guise of religion, its use could be protected under the law. \[[_Washington Post_](http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2015/03/30/the-first-church-of-cannabis-was-approved-after-indianas-religious-freedom-law-was-passed/ "undefined")\] ### 7 Dizzying GIFs of Spinning Cannabis Strains  Hawgs Breath Type: Indica Lineage: Hindu Kush x Afghani Smell/Taste: Fruity, Earthy, Citrus Effect: Euphoric, Relaxed, Uplifted, Sleepiness, Pain Relief, Stress/Anxiety Relief Nugshots  Ed Rosenthal Super Bud Type:Hybrid Lineage: Afghani Indica x Hindu Kush x Mexican Sativa x Thai Sativa x African Hybrid Smell/Taste: Mint, Earthy, Citrus, Effect: Uplifted, Relaxing, Active, Pain/Stress Relief Nugshots  Grape Ape Type: Indica Hybrid Lineage: Afghani x Skunk #1 Smell/Taste: Sweet, Grape, Berry, Effect: Relaxing, Pain Relief, Sleepiness Nugshots  Bubba Kush Type: Indica Lindage: Bubble Gum x OG Kush Smell/Taste: Sweet, Earthy, Citrus, Perfume Effect: Calming, Body Relaxation Nugshots  Black Poison No known reliable data. Nugshots  Platinum Bubba Kush Type: Indica Lineage: Platinum OG Kush x Bubba Kush Smell/Taste: Floral, Sweet, Fruity, Earthy Effect: Body Relaxation, Pain Relief, Appetite Stimulation, Sleepiness Nugshots  Mango Haze Type: Hybrid Lineage: Northern Lights #5 x Skunk #1 x Haze Smell/Taste: Mango, Pine, Citrus, Tropical, Mint Effect: Uplifting, Cerebral, Euphoric Nugshots  Platinum OG Kush Type: Indica Hybrid Lineage: Master Kush x OG Kush Smell/Taste: Earthy, Sweet, Pungent, Pine Effect: Sedation, Calming, Anxiety Relief, Appetite Stimulation Nugshots  Hindu Kush Type: Indica Lineage: Unknown Smell/Taste: Earthy, Sweet, Piney, Effect: Relaxing, Pain Relief, Body Sensation, Sleepiness Nugshots ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3764983/indiana-religious-freedom-law-breeds-first-church-of-cannabis/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3764983/indiana-religious-freedom-law-breeds-first-church-of-cannabis/"},"headline":"Indiana Religious Freedom Law Breeds 'First Church of Cannabis'","datePublished":"2015-03-31T12:33:18.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T05:04:46.999Z","description":"Could the use of marijuana as a religious sacrament be protected under Indiana's new law?","url":"https://time.com/3764983/indiana-religious-freedom-law-breeds-first-church-of-cannabis/","keywords":["faith","Religion"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5e36597b86383b71/698781223c1639652e451fa0/marijuana.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Maya Rhodan","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/maya-rhodan/"}],"articleSection":"U.S.","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5e36597b86383b71/698781223c1639652e451fa0/marijuana.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Marijuana plants are seen in an indoor cultivation in Montevideo","caption":"Marijuana plants are seen in an indoor cultivation in Montevideo","creditText":"Andres Stapff—Reuters","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/us/","name":"U.S."}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/faith/","name":"faith"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3764983/indiana-religious-freedom-law-breeds-first-church-of-cannabis/","name":"Indiana Religious Freedom Law Breeds 'First Church of Cannabis'"}}]}] ```