Evaluating the argument

Guilt and the Excuses: Evaluate and discuss the argument presented in this video.

After Joe’s bad accident, his doctor prescribed him opioids to manage the pain, downplaying questions from Joe’s family about possible side effects. By the time Joe recovered from his injuries, he had developed an addiction to opioids. Months later, in order to feed his addiction, Joe started committing petty property crimes like theft and purchasing illegal opioids until he ultimately got caught and arrested.

How should the legal system handle Joe’s case?

Consider the following range of opinions on this question:

Addiction is neither a moral excuse nor a legal excuse, so Joe should be held legally responsible for these crimes.
While Joe’s addiction might give him a moral excuse, it shouldn’t give him a legal excuse, so he should be held legally responsible for these crimes.
Joe’s addiction gives him a moral excuse, so he should also be legally excused and not held legally responsible for these crimes.

Now, take some time - by yourself or with others - to reflect openly yet critically on this issue. Where do you stand, and why?

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