Have Gun, Will Travel…to Work
Kandida Noble
Strayer University
BUS. 309: Business Ethics
Ale Yekpabo
August 23, 2015

I chose to become an advocate for the consumer in regards to legalizing medical marijuana. I support the consumer because I feel there are cases where medical marijuana could make living in society possible for people who are dealing chronic pain, cancer patients and in some cases paraplegic or quadriplegic patients would benefit from the ability to use medical marijuana. According to a Bloomberg Business report the legalization of marijuana and this debate that surrounds this issue much resembles that of 1920’s Prohibition of Alcohol. So to the question of capitalism’s influence on corporate America, let’s talk numbers 25 million-60 million in illegal gains. So if marijuana becomes legal, the tax on marijuana cigarette is about $5.00 per joint with a total tax to be made for a year estimated at $45 billion - $110 billion a year.
I don’t believe it is possible for a company to cater to both the interest of the company and that of the consumer conjointly. I believe that the company will always put there interest first especially if it will affect the bottom line. For example let’s look at what happened to cigarettes over the last decade. Originally tobacco when the demand wasn’t beyond what the tobacco companies could produce. Tobacco cigarette in its simplest purest form wasn’t harmful and did not kill people. What’s deadly is the chemicals that are used to speed up the production of these cigarettes. Once the tobacco companies saw the potential money maker the cigarette could be I believe the research into faster ways to mass produce these cigarettes to keep up with the demand of the consumer. So to say that business’ can keep the interest of the consumer and their interest as well is a big no. Why would the business not seek their interest first with legally addictive product, streamlined production and increased cost, it is evident with all the lawsuits from victims’ families to big corporation the two became perverted and corrupt. Let’s look at the prescription drug manufacturers like Pfizer who mass produced a drug to keep up with the demand the drug company had created with the perks offered to Family physicians, etc. So later Pfizer discovered that certain protocols were not followed and corners were cut to reach the demand and lives were lost adverse effects happened and now the company is no longer in business.

References

Business Week: Legalize Marijuana for Tax revenue: www.businessweek.com/legalizemarijuanafortaxrevenue www.theadvocates.org/category/liberator-online/page141