How is Your Freedom Limited?

by Junyang

Have you ever asked the question “whose job is it to protect me?” From terrorist and suicide bombers, it seems reasonable to many that it is the government’s job to protect the people.

But whose job is it to protect people from themselves?

We have laws and taxes that protect people from harming themselves. For example, the tax on tobacco and alcohol was created to discourage people from using tobacco products and drinking alcohol. The prohibition of marijuana, cocaine, and heroin are ways the government helps protect people from themselves. It is a crime to use, and/or possess any of these substances in the United States.

Is it ethical for the lawmakers to impose these prohibitions and taxes on the American people?

I personally believe that people should not eat McDonald’s food because it is unhealthy. Obesity, and the other diseases caused by obesity, kills more people per year than all the illicit drugs combined. If I were a lawmaker, would it be ethical for me to start a prohibition on all foods that are high in trans fat? The penalty for purchasing tobacco products is a high percentage tax; the exact amount varies by state. The penalty for purchasing illicit drugs is a fine, possible jail time, and a criminal record.

Although there are many opinions on the role of government, it is my belief that people should be free to treat their bodies however they see fit, without the government penalizing them strictly on the substances they choose to consume.