Deck 12: Drug Use, Harm, and Personal Liberty

Question 1

According to James Q.Wilson,"The notion that abusing drugs such as cocaine is a 'victimless crime' is not only absurd but dangerous." Drug abuse is dangerous,Wilson says,

A)because it is unnatural.
B)because it is unhealthy.
C)because it harms the user.
D)because it harms other people.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Kantian ethics would likely condemn illicit drug use because:

A)it is contrary to natural law.
B)it impairs autonomy.
C)it is contrary to federal law.
D)it has more costs than benefits.

Answer 2

B

Question 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.
B)drug abuse.
C)drug addiction.
D)drug dependence.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Which of the following is considered a drug,as defined by doctors,nurses,and medical researchers?

A)multivitamins
B)over-the-counter medicines
C)nicotine
D)alcohol

Question 5

If you were a natural law theorist,you would likely:

A)reject all recreational drug use.
B)support the recreational use of natural drugs like marijuana.
C)support medical marijuana use.
D)support all recreational drug use.

Question 6

Recreational drug use likely violates Kant's categorical imperative,because using drugs:

A)treats a person 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.

Question 7

Permitting the use of drugs without criminal penalties is referred to as:

A)prohibition.
B)legalization.
C)criminalization.
D)decriminalization.

Question 8

Which of the following would be likely if marijuana were decriminalized,but not legalized?

A)Possessing and using marijuana would not be a crime.
B)Marijuana sales would be taxed.
C)Marijuana would be treated the same as alcohol.
D)Driving under the influence of marijuana would not be a crime.

Question 9

The essential question of the morality of drug policy and law is:

A)Under what circumstances can drug production be prevented by the government?
B)Under what circumstances can recreational drug use be prevented by the government?
C)Under what circumstances can drug sales be prevented by the government?
D)Under what circumstances can recreational drugs be taxed by the government?

Question 10

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 the:

A)harm principle.
B)harm-reduction principle.
C)paternalism principle.
D)legal moralism principle.

Question 11

Of the 1.5 million Americans arrested for violating drug laws in 2012,what percentage were arrested for selling or producing drugs?

A)80%
B)60%
C)40%
D)20%

Question 12

Douglas Husak says the current policies of punishing people for drug offenses actually do more harm than good.He defends an alternative strategy based on the standard of:

A)prevalence reduction.
B)use reduction.
C)harm reduction.
D)enforcement reduction.

Question 13

In a 2014 public opinion poll,________ of respondents said they favored the legalization of marijuana.

A)roughly one-third
B)roughly half
C)less than ten percent
D)more than three-quarters

Question 14

Some supporters of decriminalization reject utilitarian standards (harms versus benefits)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,but justice.

Question 15

Which of the following is NOT a reason why natural law ethics would likely view drug use as morally wrong?

A)Drug use weakens autonomy.
B)Drug use is addictive.
C)Drug users treat themselves as means to an end.
D)Drug use obscures the moral law.

Question 16

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:

A)is to force obedience to moral law.
B)is to force obedience to the natural law.
C)is to prevent harm to himself.
D)is to prevent harm to others.

Question 17

Making the production and sale of drugs no longer a criminal offense is called:

A)prohibition.
B)legalization.
C)criminalization.
D)decriminalization.

Question 18

Life-threatening withdrawal symptoms are part of which condition?

A)Physical addiction
B)Psychological addiction
C)Physical dependence
D)Psychological dependence

Question 19

Which of the following would likely be part of a harm-reduction policy on drug use?

A)zero-tolerance prosecution
B)minimum sentences for drug crimes
C)needle-exchange programs
D)methadone clinics

Question 20

Which of the following is NOT a reason to support a harm-reduction drug policy?

A)Users cannot be sure of the quality of illegally purchased drugs.
B)More people die from using alcohol and tobacco than illegal drugs.
C)Prohibition leads to increased corruption in law enforcement.
D)Prohibition has disproportionately affected minorities.

Question 21

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.

Question 22

If you were a legal moralist you would likely support:

A)harm reduction.
B)decriminalization.
C)legalization.
D)prohibition.

Question 23

Opponents of paternalist policies tend to base their arguments on the supreme value of:

A)happiness.
B)morality.
C)justice.
D)autonomy.

Question 24

According to Peter de Marneffe (who takes a paternalistic view),the best reason to oppose the legalization of drugs is that some people will be worse off if drugs are legalized.The people he is referring to here are:

A)drug users.
B)the friends and family of drug users.
C)law-enforcement officers.
D)tax payers.

Question 25

Which of the following is law likely based on the principle of legal moralism?

A)anti-homosexuality laws
B)restricting alcohol consumption to adults
C)prohibiting smoking in public areas
D)speed limits