Did you know Indianapolis has a place of worship dedicated to marijuana?

Testing the bounds of religious freedom, this establishment was created to respond to Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act, opening its doors the same day the law went into effect.

“This is what I live by, and I have more faith in this religion than any other,” Bill Levin, founder of the Church of Cannabis told IndyStar in May 2015. “This is my lifestyle. This is millions of people’s lifestyle.” Here’s what we know.

Indiana Marijuana Legislation Could Indiana decriminalize marijuana after a recent DEA announcement? Here’s what we know

What is the Church of Cannabis?

The First Church of Cannabis was founded by Levin in 2015 in response to Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which was signed into law by former governor Mike Pence on March 26, 2015, and went into effect on July 1, 2015.

When the law finally went into effect on July 1, the doors of Levin’s beloved establishment opened that same day, as previously reported by the IndyStar. According to the First Church of Cannabis website, the group’s mission is to “celebrate life’s great adventure by building on compassion, good health, and love.”

While the group is unable to participate in the “holy sacrament” of being able to light up at their regular Wednesday service, they’ve found other ways to fill the time, according to the IndyStar. A typical service starts with a shorter sermon from Levin before opening the floor to members to discuss concerns. They also perform a “diety dozen,” with affirmations of marijuana as a means of healing. Learn more about the “diety dozen” here.

Where is the First Church of Cannabis?

The First Church of Cannabis is located at 3400 S Rural St. in Indianapolis.

Who founded the First Church of Cannabis?

Levin, 68, founder and leader of the First Church of Cannabis, is a long-standing marijuana advocate who began working with the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) in the late 19990s, according to the church’s website. He eventually started his own pro-cannabis organization, ReLegalize Indiana.

Levin also ran for political positions as a Libertarian in the early 2010s, with marijuana legislation as a key focus, but came up short. When the Religious Freedom Restoration Act was passed, “Bill took this as an opportunity to establish The First Church of Cannabis on the basis of ‘Cannatarian’ religion where love is the most important and including the sacrament, cannabis,” according to Church of Cannabis.

Marijuana Church challenges Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act

Levin and the Church of Cannabis filed a lawsuit against the state of Indiana, Pence and Attorney General Greg Zoeller in July 2015 with the claim that denying them the right to smoke in public infringes on religious freedom. A second lawsuit was filed on March 3, 2016 against the city of Indianapolis, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and former Police Chief Rick Hite.

The filed suits argued that members’ use of marijuana at the Church of Cannabis should be protected under Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act, but was dismissed by the Indiana Court of Appeals in December of 2018.

“I feel sorry for the people who are not educated in this subject matter,” Levin previously said to the IndyStar. “We’ll keep doing what we’re doing, because we’re doing God’s work.”

Becoming a member of the First Church of Cannabis

Members can join for an annual fee of $54 on the group’s website. Click here to learn more.

It’s official! The basketball gods smiled on Indiana as Caitlin Clark, the phenomenal No. 1 draft pick, landed right in the lap of the Indiana Fever. But wait, there’s a plot twist that’s sweeter than a game-winning buzzer-beater-her longtime beau, Connor McCaffery, is already making waves in the Hoosier State as an assistant with the Indiana Pacers. Talk about perfect timing!

This story gets even juicier. Patrick McCaffery, Connor’s brother, is making his own headlines by committing to Butler for his final year of college hoops. The McCaffery bros are setting up a real family affair in Indiana. Patrick, departing from Iowa where he played under his dad, Coach Fran McCaffery, took to Instagram with a heartfelt “It’s been real IC,” accompanied by snaps with Clark and Connor. Looks like a triple threat of basketball brilliance is converging in Indiana!

Back to Caitlin Clark-her selection by the Fever was perhaps the worst kept secret in sports, after a college career that was nothing short of record-shattering. And landing in Indianapolis? That’s no coincidence. It’s destiny. During an interview with Hawk Central, Connor detailed his Pacers gig, from playing dummy defense to running the scout team. He’s grinding it out, proving that behind every great player is an equally hard-working partner.

And let’s not forget the royal welcome Caitlin received, courtesy of none other than Colts legend Peyton Manning. In an interview with IndyStar, Caitlin expressed how having Connor in the same city made her transition smoother. “It’s great, obviously it makes the transition a little bit easier,” she said. “You’ve got people that know the city, and obviously Connor being there is tremendous. I couldn’t imagine a better place to start my professional career.“

Connor McCaffery opens up about dating in the public eye

Connor shared some real talk on ESPN‘s docuseries ‘Full Court Press,’ revealing that dating a high-profile athlete like Caitlin isn’t all glitz and glamour. “This is not the same as what it was,” he admitted. “Me and you, we cannot just go and walk around like nobody knows who you are. That’s not the reality of the situation.”

So, there you have it. From Iowa to Indiana, the McCaffery brothers and Caitlin Clark are making big moves-both on the court and off. Indiana’s basketball scene just got a whole lot more interesting, and we’re here for all the swooshes and swoons.

(0:43) — TWITTER SPACES: JJ returns to recap the Knicks’ 111-106 Game 3 loss to the Pacers.

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Host: John Jastremski
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