Dalai Lama Reportedly Backs Medical Cannabis

Conduct a basic Google search for the Dalai Lama today and an abundance of articles will state that the spiritual leader has voiced his approval for medical marijuana during a recent visit to Mexico.

While it’s certainly true that His Holiness did visit with Vicente Fox, the former Mexican president who made broad moves this summer as an advocate for marijuana reform, the quote, which originally appeared in global news agency AFP’s story, seems suspect.

According to the AFP, and every other internet news source which has proliferated the news, the Dalai Lama was asked a question from one of 6,000 attendees during his remarks at the Vicente Fox Center of Studies, Library and Museum. The question itself, nor who asked it is not clear. The answer is also unclear.

The Dalai Lama is reported to have said “the exception” for smoking marijuana would be if it has pharmaceutical virtues.

“But otherwise if it’s just an issue of somebody [using the drug to have] a crazy mind, that’s not good.”

This much is true, the Dalai Lama visited Mexico and spoke on compassion, he donned a charo hat and even appeared on Fox’s television show on TV Azteca. He has admitted he has never smoked a cigarette, taken a drug or drank more than a finger’s dip in a bottle of wine. He’s even admitted despite his 8 million Twitter followers he has never used a computer let alone sent out his own Tweet.

As for his stance on medical marijuana in this life and the next, I’d say, it remains to be seen.

Let us know what you think in the comments below.