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CHAPTER 17 Drugs, Guns, and Personal Liberty
CHAPTER OUTLINE
I. Background and Facts about Drugs and Gun Control
A. Drug
B. Drug Dependence and Addiction
C. Legalization
D. Criminalization
E. Decriminalization
F. Harm Reduction
G. Gun Control
II. Moral Theories and Drugs and Gun Control
A. Utilitarianism and Drugs
B. Kantian Ethics and Drugs
C. Natural Law Theory and Drugs
D. Utilitarianism and Gun Control
III. Moral Arguments about Drugs and Gun Control
A. The Harm Principle
B. The Paternalism Principle
C. The Legal Moralism Principle
D. Gun Control and the Right of Self-Defense
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Of the 1.5 million Americans arrested for violating drug laws in 2016, what percentage were
arrested for selling or producing drugs?
a. 80 percent c. 40 percent
b. 60 percent d. 15 percent
2. In 2016, ________ of respondents said they favored the legalization of marijuana.
a. roughly one-third c. less than 10 percent
b. more than half d. more than three-quarters
3. A condition in which discontinuing the use of a drug is increasingly difficult and involves psychological or physical symptoms is
called
a. a drug habit. c. drug addiction.
b. drug abuse. d. drug dependence.
4. Life-threatening withdrawal symptoms are potential consequences of which condition?
a. physical addiction c. physical dependence
b. psychological addiction d. psychological dependence
5. Those who advocate for harm reduction within the context of drug laws argue that the current
policies of punishing people for drug offenses actually do more harm than good. Their
recommendations would therefore focus on trying to
a. improve the moral character of drug users.
b. reduce the number of drug users.
c. reduce the harm that arises from drugs and drug laws.
d. increase the number of persons enforcing the drug laws.
6. Which of the following would likely be part of a harm-reduction policy on drug use?
a. zero-tolerance prosecution c. needle-exchange programs
b. minimum sentences for drug crimes d. methadone clinics
7. In 2014, there were around ________ firearm deaths (suicides, homicides, and accidental
shootings) in the United States.
a. 1,000 c. 34,000
b. 10,000 d. 340,000
8. The Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution explicitly states:
a. No soldier shall, in time of peace, be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner
to be prescribed by law.
b. Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.
c. A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be
infringed.
d. A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to own handguns, shall not be
infringed.
9. Recreational drug use likely violates Kant’s categorical imperative, because using drugs
a. treats a person merely as a means to an end.
b. has the potential to harm others.
c. causes more harm than benefit.
d. is against the order of nature.
10. The essential question of the morality of drug policy and law is,
a. Under what circumstances is the government justified in preventing drug production?
b. Under what circumstances is the government justified in preventing recreational
drug use?
c. Under what circumstances is the government justified in preventing drug sales?
d. Under what circumstances is the government justified in taxing recreational drug use?
11. According to the great utilitarian John Stuart Mill, the only purpose for which power can be
rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to
a. force obedience to moral law. c. prevent harm to himself.
b. force obedience to the natural law. d. prevent harm to others.
12. Some supporters of decriminalization reject utilitarian standards for evaluating drug law and
policy because
a. these standards don’t support decriminalization.
b. the harms and benefits balance one another.
c. what counts as a harm or benefit is too subjective to be a standard.
d. the real issue is not harm and benefits, but justice.
13. According to James Q. Wilson, “The notion that abusing drugs such as cocaine is a ‘victimless
crime’ is not only absurd but dangerous.” Why does he think this notion is dangerous?
a. because it overlooks the fact that drug use is unnatural
b. because it overlooks the fact that drug use is unhealthy for the user
c. because drug use causes psychological harm to the user
d. because drug use causes harm to people other than the user
14. Consider this argument: “Drugs are addictive and addiction is a disease where the addict can
no longer make free choices. Addicts are slaves to the drug and will commit any number of
crimes to support their addictions. We should prohibit drug use to prevent this corruption of
society.” This view draws support from
a. the harm principle. c. the paternalism principle.
b. harm-reduction. d. legal moralism.
15. Paternalists argue that the best reason to oppose the legalization of drugs is that some people
will be worse off if drugs are legalized. The people referred to here would be
a. drug users. c. law enforcement officers.
b. the friends and family of drug users. d. taxpayers.
16. An argument based on the paternalism principle would claim that drugs should remain
illegal because
a. decriminalization would lead to increased drug usage by teenagers.
b. using recreational drugs is immoral and destroys society.
c. the money from their sale supports violent gangs.
d. they are addictive and unhealthy for their users.
17. Critics of paternalistic drug laws focus primarily on
a. the harms created by such laws.
b. the lack of enforceability of such laws.
c. how such laws violate individuals’ liberty.
d. how such laws mischaracterize the nature of the harms of drug use.
18. Within the context of drug legalization, some critics of legal moralism argue that, if legal
moralism were applied in different contexts, other practices, like cheating at golf, plagiarizing,
and lying to a spouse, would also have to be illegal. How is this intended as an objection to
legal moralism?
a. It’s not clear why the immorality of drug use is sufficient for making it illegal, when the other also immoral practices are not
against the law.
b. It’s not clear that drug use is immoral, which is the sole reason why legal moralists think it should be against the law.
c. The consequences of keeping drug use illegal would likely result in more instances of these immoral practices.
d. Drug use isn’t inherently immoral, but these other practices are.
19. A common pro-gun argument appeals not to consequences but to rights. The right to own
a gun derives from the more fundamental right of
a. self-defense. c. autonomy.
b. free speech. d. freedom.
TRUE/FALSE
1. Multivitamins are considered a drug, as defined by doctors, nurses, and medical researchers.
2. Drug addiction is defined as an intense craving for the drug and compulsive, uncontrolled use
of the drug despite harm done to the user or other people.
3. Allowing people to use drugs without being liable to criminal prosecution and punishment is
referred to as legalization.
4. If marijuana were decriminalized, but not legalized, this would likely mean that driving under
the influence of marijuana would not be a crime.
5. The rate of gun ownership in the United States is among the highest rates in the world.
6. Kantian ethics would likely condemn illicit drug use because it impairs autonomy.
7. A natural law theorist would necessarily support all recreational drug use.
8. Natural law theorists would determine that hard drug use should be discouraged, because it
weakens autonomy and obscures the moral law.
9. For many people, the most straightforward way to argue for or against guns is through some
form of Kantian theory: judging a gun policy by its balance of good and bad effects, everyone
considered.
10. One reason to support a harm-reduction drug policy is that criminalization of drugs has disproportionately affected minorities.
SHORT ANSWER
1. A general definition of the term ________ is a nonfood chemical substance that can affect the functions or makeup of the body.
2. ________ is making the use (and possession) of drugs a punishable offense, through the
use of either fines or prison.
3. Making the production and sale of drugs no longer a punishable crime is called ________.
4. ________ refers to laws and policies designed to restrict the possession, use, and availability
of firearms.
5. Opponents of paternalist policies tend to base their arguments on the supreme value of ________.
6. ________ is the doctrine that the government is justified in curbing people’s freedom in
order to force them to obey moral rules.
