In her 2002 editorial on incarcerated Pagans Anne Newkirk Niven writes about the value of ministering to that population. She sensibly points out that such folks will not be confined forever and will at some point exit the system. Cherry Hill Seminary offers literature for incarcerated Pagans at a very nominal fee. *

Niven tells us that not all Pagans feel such ministry is worth the effort. But it is worth noting that the US has one of the highest incarceration rates in the world. Since the 80s, incarceration in federal prisons has soared 800%. A great many of those who are confined were committing nothing that Pagans would view as an ethical violation: they were taking some form of illegal drug. And such policies are inherently racist. People of color are locked up in far greater numbers than those with fair skin.

Last week, California reversed this trend by voting to de-criminalize drug offenses committed by individuals in private. This could lead to many who are incarcerated to petition for release. Other states have legalized marijuana and are now reaping tax revenues. But as Pagans, we must ask ourselves, were these people criminals in the first place, or did the law just make them so? Making more laws, made more criminals.

I have not yet met a Pagan who believed that drug use – assuming no one got hurt - was a violation of religious ethics. Indeed, I personally know Pagans who value the use of drugs as a path to connection with the sacred (entheogens). I believe the Harm None ethic demands that we stand against such laws. Both for our fellow practitioners and for the greater culture.

*Disclaimer: I work for Cherry Hill Seminary and wrote all but one of the rituals. CHS owns the copyright and makes no money off it. The fee covers the cost of printing and shipping.