Texas-based Christian nationalist pastor Joel Webbon has drawn widespread mockery after releasing a video claiming that marijuana makes men "spiritually gay" and urging Christian men to smoke tobacco instead. The controversial remarks, posted to social media on May 31, 2026, frame nicotine use as a tool for masculine resistance.
In the viral video, Webbon dismissed decades of established medical research linking tobacco to cancer, labeling anti-smoking campaigns as one of the biggest "propaganda psyops" of the past half-century.
According to Webbon, nicotine fosters strong, independent men who can resist government control, whereas cannabis supposedly feminizes users. "Marijuana makes you less masculine, more feminine, soft, gay — at least spiritually gay," Webbon stated, adding that cannabis users lack ambition.
The pastor's comments quickly went viral, drawing intense ridicule online. Critics pointed out the irony of a religious leader promoting nicotine addiction while seemingly auditioning for a vintage 1950s cigarette advertisement.
Webbon, who leads a ministry in Texas, is a prominent figure in the far-right Christian Reconstructionist movement. He has a history of using culture-war rhetoric to target minority groups, particularly the LGBTQIA+ community.
In 2024, Webbon advocated for the death penalty as a "maximum penalty" deterrent for homosexuality. He has also previously blamed Jewish people for social changes regarding transgender rights and abortion access, and has made highly controversial statements regarding civil rights history.
