An Analysis of John Stuart Mill’s Support of the Legalization of Recreational Drugs
This philosophical study will define why John Stuart Mill would support the legalization of non-medical recreational drugs as a form of individual liberty. Mill’s (1859) utilitarian philosophy defines the necessity of individual rights, as long as they do not infringe upon the rights of others. The necessity of encouraging public discussion about the use of non-medical drugs, such as the current legalization of marijuana, defines an important aspect of civic rights in a functional democracy. More so, consensual legalities related to recreational drugs also imply that an individual’s actions must be respected, since they are not harming any other person in the process. In this manner, Mill would certainly support the legalization of marijuana, since it protects the individual’s right to harm his or her own body. The importance of the greater good in society allows for the use of recreational drugs, since they are not hurting other members of society. Inn essence, an analysis of Mill’s …show more content…
In this manner, the greater good of society may not always serve the best interests of the individual, especially in the case when the individual is not harming another person. This is an important argument against he current American government’s enforced illegality of recreational drugs that are not being used to harm anyone, but the individual user: “In causes beyond the actor’s control or consequences affecting other people” (Bakalar & Brinspoon, 2001, p.13). In this way, Mill would argue that as long as the drug user is not hurting anyone else, they have the right to use the drug in their own sphere of influence. Mill would defend the right of the individual to use recreational drugs because it has very little to do with harming other people’s rights and
This philosophical study will define why John Stuart Mill would support the legalization of non-medical recreational drugs as a form of individual liberty. Mill’s (1859) utilitarian philosophy defines the necessity of individual rights, as long as they do not infringe upon the rights of others. The necessity of encouraging public discussion about the use of non-medical drugs, such as the current legalization of marijuana, defines an important aspect of civic rights in a functional democracy. More so, consensual legalities related to recreational drugs also imply that an individual’s actions must be respected, since they are not harming any other person in the process. In this manner, Mill would certainly support the legalization of marijuana, since it protects the individual’s right to harm his or her own body. The importance of the greater good in society allows for the use of recreational drugs, since they are not hurting other members of society. Inn essence, an analysis of Mill’s …show more content…
In this manner, the greater good of society may not always serve the best interests of the individual, especially in the case when the individual is not harming another person. This is an important argument against he current American government’s enforced illegality of recreational drugs that are not being used to harm anyone, but the individual user: “In causes beyond the actor’s control or consequences affecting other people” (Bakalar & Brinspoon, 2001, p.13). In this way, Mill would argue that as long as the drug user is not hurting anyone else, they have the right to use the drug in their own sphere of influence. Mill would defend the right of the individual to use recreational drugs because it has very little to do with harming other people’s rights and