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Normative Ethics Paper

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Matthew Lee
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PS M122B Summer 2014
Paper #4
Normative Ethics In many parts of the United States, use of cannabis is either partially or completely illegal. However, many citizens still use cannabis for recreational and/or therapeutic purposes despite the drug’s illicit status. This paper will analyze the following question using normative ethics: Is the legalization of cannabis moral? I argue that under a normative ethics analysis the legalization of cannabis is moral. Let us first analyze the question under a utilitarian lens. The prohibition of cannabis is very costly to American society. The government’s efforts to police cannabis cost U.S. taxpayers millions of dollars. Furthermore, the illegal status of cannabis causes potential …show more content…
Despite the fact the users and dealers of cannabis are nonviolent, millions are jailed for possession every year. Considering that users and dealers of cannabis pose no real threat to society, their punishment is excessive and unfair. But furthermore, when it comes to arrest for cannabis possession, blacks and hispanics are disproportionately affected. Enforcement for cannabis possession is biased and prejudiced and ultimately unjust. But let us also consider the legality of alcohol and tobacco. These two drugs are well known to cause a host of adverse effects not only to the users but to those around the users as well. Yet these drugs are widely available and completely legal to use while cannabis, which causes little to no harmful effects to the user’s health and no issues to others, is illegal. The only fair and just course of action is to legalize cannabis. The illegality of cannabis allows international drug cartels, in particular like those in Mexico to exist. The Mexican drug cartels are very violent and result in deaths of many Mexicans a year. It is unjust to allow people to die for a drug that causes no harm. Lastly, as mentioned earlier, the legalization of cannabis would create more jobs, which would increase justice as more people who are willing to work would be able to take up these new

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