“When Your Conscience Says Law Is Immoral, DonT Follow

â€Å"When your conscience says law is immoral, don t follow it.† (Washington v. Glucksberg, n.d) This line, originally from Jack Kevorkian seems to resonate deeply with the proponents of legalizing marijuana use, despite it originally referring to assisted suicide. The legalization of marijuana use had become one of the biggest hot button issues of the last decade, and is being fiercely debated across the United States. First made illegal in 1970 with the passing of the Controlled Substances Act, which declared it an addictive drug with no medical value, many are now fighting against this law, citing medicinal uses and an apparent lack of fierce addictiveness. Since 1996, 23 states have passed laws allowing for medicinal use of marijuana,†¦show more content†¦The other side of pro legalization are those who seek full legalization of the drug for recreational, as well as medical, usage. Recreational marijuana should be understood as marijuana that has not been recomme nded for use by a medical professional, and is used solely for the psychoactive properties that it contains. But is the morality between these two camps really any different? Is using marijuana for the medicinal purpose alone any different, when looking at it from an ethical standpoint, then using it for enjoyment? By examining this issue through several different ethical theories, it becomes clear that there is a distinct difference in the morality between medical and recreational use. Medical use of marijuana is moral. In some cases, it allows users to live a relatively normal life, while in other cases it gives users a reduction in pain as they approach the end of their lives. However, recreational use of marijuana is not moral. Unrestricted use for no medical reason can be destructive and addicting, despite the momentary pleasure it may bring to the user. Pleasure is the basis for one of the main ethical theories, hedonism. As one of the simplest ethical theories, it is probably the best place to begin our examination. Hedonism is one of the oldest of philosophical theories, dating back to the ancient Greeks. As Schafer-Landau (2015) explained, â€Å"Epicurus (341-270 BCE), the first great hedonist, argued that pleasure was the only thingShow MoreRelatedComparison Essay in Victorian Plays1372 Words   |  6 PagesPoint | Quote from Lady Windermere’s Fan | Analysis | Quote from Mrs. Warren’s Profession | Analysis | There are double-standards on society’s judgement of morality towards men and women | Action taken towards Lord Windermere when suspecting his involvement with Mrs. Erlynne-â€Å"take Windermere away at once to Homburg or to Aix, where he’ll have something to amuse him† and â€Å"feed the wretches well†vs. society’s view on Mrs. Erlynne upon suspecting her scandal-â€Å"these wicked women get our husbands awayRead MoreKant Vs. 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