The Ethics and Politics of Drug Legalisation

In this episode, Ezechiel and Andy discuss whether we should legalise (or de-criminalise?) the use of recreational drugs. What are the arguments in favour of and against legalising drugs? What about coffee and tobacco? And is there perhaps a value in exploring altered states of mind?

Come along for an hour-long dose of your daily philosophy and understand the arguments surrounding drugs legalisation.

Brought to you by https://daily-philosophy.com.
Music: Nightlife by Michael Kobrin, from: https://pixabay.com/music.

00:01:03 Examples of drug legalisation
00:03:17 Netherlands: drug tourism and organised crime
00:08:46 Different forms of legalisation
00:12:15 Consequentialism: Benefits of legalising drugs?
00:15:05 Downsides of legalising drugs
00:16:02 Social determinism: are we free to choose?
00:20:20 US opioid epidemic
00:21:46 Libertarian argument against drug regulation
00:23:25 The role of state regulation
00:24:56 Sugar, coffee and tobacco
00:27:35 Are drug users free to choose?
00:29:11 Autonomy and second order volitions
00:33:27 Positive freedom
00:34:45 Can we avoid state involvement?
00:38:00 Parallels to abortion
00:38:59 Safe drug taking infrastructure
00:39:32 Does the state need to support BASE jumping?
00:42:40 Will outlawing drugs drive down consumption?
00:45:48 Alcohol, tobacco and other legal drugs
00:48:15 Do we have a duty to stay healthy?
00:49:00 The normative force of widespread practices
00:54:58 Are there benefits to drug use?
00:55:42 Drugs as exploration of inner spaces
00:56:56 Good Friday experiment
00:59:07 Griffiths experiment
00:01:02 Should we have access to hidden inner worlds?
01:03:30 Are drug experiences anti-social?
01:06:58 Conclusions

Philosophers and theories mentioned:

00:12:15 Consequentialism: https://daily-philosophy.com/classic-utilitarianism/
00:16:02 Social determinism
00:21:46 Libertarian argument
00:29:11 Autonomy, Harry Frankfurt and second order volitions
00:31:37 Charles Taylor: Hierarchy of desires
00:31:52 Isaiah Berlin: Negative freedom
00:48:43 Virtue ethics: https://daily-philosophy.com/how-to-live-an-aristotelian-life/
00:55:42 Aldous Huxley, Timothy Leary and Ernest Hemingway
00:56:20 Shamanism, entheogens
00:56:56 Good Friday experiment (1963)
00:59:07 Roland R Griffiths
01:06:30 Utilitarianism: https://daily-philosophy.com/classic-utilitarianism/