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The Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church in the United States (incorporated in 1984 and trademark registered in 2016) was authorized by the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church in Jamaica (incorporated in 1976) to obtain legal authority in the United States to use cannabis as its sacrament.  See Olsen v. DEA, 878 F.2d 1458 (D.C. Cir. 1989).

The Jamaican government authorized use of cannabis as the Rastafari sacrament in 2015, and the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church is a Rastafari church.

The Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church cannot authorize you to use cannabis.  Only a government can authorize you to use cannabis.  Cannabis is our birthright.  If you do not want to be arrested by a government, you need to get authorization from that government.

The Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church does not agree that governments have the right to prohibit cannabis plants.  But that is the current reality.  All cannabis laws should be repealed.

This page was last updated in December of 2022.