Epicureanism and Marijuana Legalization (Free Essay Sample)

One issue that has been gaining traction in the United States over the past 5 to 10 years has been the legalization of marijuana. Many in the United States, both teenagers and adults, have experimented with marijuana, leading to its increased use and the push for its recreational legalization being at an all-time high. As of April 2022, 18 states have fully legalized marijuana, and 26 states have begun the process of fully legalizing it. This dilemma has brought up discussion within the philosophical community regarding how marijuana is seen through the ethical theoretical scope. Many philosophers argue that marijuana is unethical, while others claim it is not. After reviewing both stances, it is clear to say that of all the ethical theories that are known and accepted by both philosophers and the general public, epicureanism is the best.

First, we must discuss what marijuana is and how the legalization of medical and recreational marijuana has been such a longstanding issue in the United States for the last 20 years. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, otherwise referred to as NIDA, "Marijuana is a greenish-gray mixture of the dried flowers of Cannabis sativa, which can be smoked in hand-rolled cigarettes called "joints," in pipes, water pipes, or in blunts. Marijuana can also be used to brew tea and, particularly when it is sold or consumed for medicinal purposes, is frequently mixed into foods such as brownies, cookies, or candies. Vaporizers are also increasingly used to consume marijuana" (Volkow, 2020). The reason why marijuana has been popularized has been the flexible use stated previously, and how it can be used in a variety of ways and one can still get the same effect, or "high." This "high" is because of a chemical called delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. Researchers have also discovered the pros that marijuana use has had on people, with Angela Morrow of VeryWell Health stating that marijuana is "often used to treat chronic pain, muscle spasms, and nausea and vomiting, and to increase appetite" (Morrow, 2022).

With all the pros and uses that come with using marijuana medically and recreationally, it also comes with its cons if used frequently. Those against the legalization of marijuana have argued the effects that marijuana can have on the body. Morrow states that marijuana can lead to possible health problems such as "affecting short-term memory, impairment of cognitive abilities, damage to your lung tissue, as well as an increased probability of getting lung cancer" (Morrow, 2022). Not only do people argue against the legalization of marijuana because of the health effects attached to it, but ethical issues are prevalent in the argument against marijuana legalization. Some refer to the ethical issues that marijuana brings, such as "regulatory issues stemming from a gap between medical cannabis registration and certification in each country; professional issues that derive from the lack of sufficient knowledge of medical characteristics and the intersection between the physician, the patient, and commercial interests; and the medical and psychological implications that are related to the use of medical cannabis regimens." (Sagy et al., 2018). Marijuana opponents also bring the word of God, usually referencing quotes and verses in the Bible as an argument against the legalization of marijuana. One such verse that many use to argue against legalization is in 2 Corinthians 16:17, reading "16 Or what agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, "I will dwell among them and walk among them; And I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 17 "Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate," says the Lord. "And do not touch what is unclean; And I will welcome you." (Arthur, 2000). The statement that appeals most to those against marijuana is the line, "And do not touch what is unclean," which indicates that God is telling people not to touch what isn't healthy or beneficial to the people in the world. Marijuana falls under this indication because of the previously stated side effects that marijuana has, and with moral and ethical issues that are present, there is a strong case for those opposing legalization of marijuana.

Now that we have discussed what the idea of marijuana legalization is and the arguments for and against it, we can discuss how epicureanism applies to the issue. To begin with, we must know what epicureanism is. Epicureanism is described as "a teleological ethical theory that attempts to maximize personal pleasure and avoid pain, and where pleasure is seen as the result of satisfied desires and pain is seen as the result of frustrated desires" (Higashi, 2022). Epicureanism also implies that "good choices are choices that maximize our easily satisfiable desires and that minimize or eliminate our easily frustrated desires" (Higashi, 2022). To look at it another way, we should prepare ourselves to only want the easiest commodities to acquire, so that we will never have to live with the pain of not achieving what we really want. To many, personal pleasure seems to be the only thing that has both intrinsic and ultimate significance. 

Now we can begin to answer the question we were all waiting for: how do legalized marijuana and epicureanism apply to each other? Well, it simply starts with the definition and implication of epicureanism. As previously stated, epicureanism is a theory that attempts to seek maximum personal pleasure whilst avoiding suffering with pleasure. The main goal of epicureanism is to achieve something positive for the person in question as easily as possible, and to minimize and/or eliminate pain and suffering. Since a few of the effects of marijuana treat forms of pain, and to get that high sensation, marijuana would eliminate pain and give the user personal pleasure. With that being said, if marijuana were to be legalized, the part where someone tries to be as happy as possible would be fixed since the high from marijuana leads those who use it to experience a sense of relaxation and to be at ease. Now it may depend on the user and how they react to the THC in marijuana flowing in their system, as the probability of having a bad high or even a sense of paranoia is possible but is still very low. 

As for my stance on the legalization and how it effects my behavior, I am impartial since I do not partake in smoking or any activities that involve marijuana, tobacco, alcohol, and other substances of that nature. Even though I don't partake in those activities, I have seen friends and family close to me use those types of substances to alleviate pain, specifically marijuana. Whether they are coping the loss of a loved one or relieving stress from the nature or their daily life. After being around those people, it is interesting to see how those substance can affect each of them separately, where one would react with a calm and laid-back demeanor, and another would be hyperactive and more energized. With that being said, the use of marijuana specifically does affect their behaviors, as those people I mentioned tend to rely on marijuana to solve problems that occur in their life and tend to become dependent or addicted to it.