Indiana’s Republican Governor Mike Pence may soon have that winning smile wiped off his face, after it emerged that the “religious freedom” law he signed through at the end of last week has had some unexpected consequences.

As the ink was drying on the bill that will allow Indiana businesses to refuse to cater for gay people if it goes against their religious beliefs, “Minister of Love” Bill Levin submitted his own application to set up the First Church of Cannabis.

A Facebook page set up for the new church proclaims cannabis as “our sacrament” – and Mr Levin is expected to argue that any attempts to enforce laws banning weed in the state would defy his churchgoers’ religious freedoms.

Mr Levin, whose 12 commandments include “don’t be an asshole”, “never start a fight” and “have fun in life”, wrote on Facebook that the church had now been “approved by the Secretary of State of Indiana”.