Ethical Debate On Opposing The Legalization Of Drugs

Ethical Debate Opposing Legalization of Drugs

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The ongoing debate about drug legalization invokes several aspects of an ethical and moral dilemma faced by today’s society. It is a commonly understood and established belief that drug prohibition laws are unjust and implemented in a manner pertaining to social discrimination. The ethical issue in this scenario is to concede about drug prohibition in the status quo not acting justly, the moral principle behind the prohibition still stands. It is still ethically wrong to allow consumption of drugs in an environment monitored by cartels and gangs who sell drug addiction as only one of many evils. CITATION Est19 \l 1033 (Estevez, 2019) The real dilemma around this issue is based on the fact that the current trend in international drug legislation is moving away from prohibition towards legalization and there is heaps of evidence and logic for legalization. CITATION Orr18 \l 1033 (Orriols, 2018) Most of these arguments ignore the simple fact that legalization does not eliminate the black market around drugs. It does not account for growing addiction issues and therefore simply allows for a stable growth in already recognized ethical issues with drug production, distribution and consumption.

My rationale for supporting drug prohibition lies in the simple fact that injustice in the legal system of drug prohibition does not warrant a complete elimination of the whole premise. Drug misuse is common and leads to deadly addiction even with drugs that have been legalized and are regulated. CITATION Dub18 \l 1033 (Dubljevic, 2018) Black markets for legalized goods operate relentlessly in all corners of the world. Conscience-altering drugs continue to be a serious medical and social risk and therefore bring ethical issues with them. Public health is the major ethical issue in this regard followed by religious and moral culpabilities all associated with drug abuse. Prohibition when discussed from the perspective of ‘authority’ and ‘purity’ leaves a better ethical case than when legalization is discussed from the ‘harm’ perspective which it categorically fails to defend.CITATION Dia17 \l 1033 (Dias, 2017) The case for drug prohibition therefore stands with enough footing on this basis alone that legalization is not the answer to the problems with prohibition. We have to identify that the problem lies not with prohibition itself but with the legal implementation of said prohibition. The problems brought forward by an unchecked use of conscience-altering drugs are significant enough to deserve a legal ban. At least those blanketed under the ban are marginally more difficult to access. Regulation as an alternative to complete prohibition can be brought forward as a worthy argument but in the current scenario, the only focus should be on improving the prejudice in drug prohibition laws, not destroying the laws altogether. CITATION Dou17 \l 1033 (Doucet, 2017)

My proposed resolution within this dilemma is the attainment of a middle ground. It derives from addressing the root cause and the issues that actually lead to prejudice in legal proceedings involving drug prohibition. Improving drug prohibition policy and making it more docile than something as hardcore as a ‘War on Drugs’ can bring down the racial and social bias normally associated with drug prohibition. It will serve to uphold the ethical issues with drug consumption by legally prohibiting drug use but doing so with a gentler and less hostile approach which has to be racially and socially just. It can involve catering to the stakeholders in this situation including lawmakers, law enforcement agencies and the general public. An understanding between the three when served with appropriate awareness can let everyone see that legal reform within the prohibition policy can resolve what legalization cannot. The theory of ethical consumerism can be implemented and properly seen in action with a shunning of the war on drugs and adoption of a better and improved legal framework of drug prohibition. CITATION Ben18 \l 1033 (Bennett, 2018)

References

BIBLIOGRAPHY Bennett, E. (2018). Extending ethical consumerism theory to semi-legal sectors: insights from recreational cannabis. Agriculture and Human Values, 295-317.

Dias, R. D. (2017). Political views, morality, and attitudes toward marijuana legalization.

Doucet, M. (2017). Just Say No (For Now): The Ethics of Illegal Drug Use. Law, Ethics and Philosophy, 9-29.

Dubljevic, V. (2018). Toward an improved Multi-Criteria Drug Harm Assessment process and evidence-based drug policies. Frontiers in pharmacology, 898.

Estevez, A. G. (2019). Current approaches and controversies: legalization and non-legalization of drugs. International journal of health & medical sciences, 26-32.

Orriols, A. T. (2018). The case against drug prohibition. Ekonomia, 49-60.