Legalization of Marijuana: An Analysis Based on Stuart’s Opinion

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Legalization of Marijuana: An Analysis Based on Stuart’s Opinion on Liberty
Introduction
Legalization of marijuana is a multifaceted and a highly controversial issue, which is now a subject of serious public debate (Blumenson and Eva 279). The number of states legalizing the use of marijuana in the United States is increasing day by day, and since 2012, four states have passed laws to remove the prohibition and allow the for-profit use of marijuana. Uruguay became the first country to experiment with legalization of marijuana in 2013 and Netherlands has allowed the sale of coffee containing marijuana and to some degree tolerates retail sales, but has declined its commercial production. Nevertheless, the use of marijuana for recreational purposes is strictly prohibited in most countries, and there are stringent laws allowing punishment of the offenders (Blumenson and Eva 283). As a result, a section of people thinks that punishing the users is equivalent to infringing their freedom of free thinking and opinions or what Stuart Mill calls freedom of character and action.
The principle of liberty and freedom indicates that all people have right to be free and can make choices concerning the behavior and actions in a way that does not infringe the rights of other people (Stuart Mill 16). Nevertheless, some people regard the law as a tyrant’s will, particularly in instances when it limits the liberty of individuals without a comprehensive justification (Stuart Mill 9). They contend that use of marijuana is a personal choice and as Stuart Mill suggests if a person perceives a certain action as harmless to themselves and other people, they should not be restricted by the society from doing it. Therefore, according to the stance of the proponents of legalization of marijuana, any law that criminalizes the use of marijuana infringes the liberty of the users. This essay will address the issues surrounding the legalization of marijuana using Stuart Mill’s opinion on what is liberty and under what circumstances should the society allow individuals to exercise their freedom of character and action.
Several studies have confirmed the destructive effect of the use of marijuana, both to the users and other people in society. At the individual level, the drug has been proven to result in alteration of brain development, especially among adolescents, poor academic performance, and impaired cognitive performance (Feeney, Kathleen and Kyle 175). Also, individuals using marijuana are more likely to start using other drugs such as alcohol, cocaine, and heroin. At the societal level, marijuana has been associated with dreadful behaviors. The drug affects judgment and perception, and it is typically linked to low achievement. People with few achievements are bound to become a nuisance to the society as they may resort to stealing to satisfy their quench to drug and other human basic needs such as food. Also, marijuana usually results in delinquent behavior, rebellion, aggression and poor relationships with other people, particularly parents (Feeney, Kathleen and Kyle 175). Consequently, marijuana users are more likely to engage in violence, robbery, and rape acts tha...