Imagine going for your regular doctor’s appointment. All seems well right? But say you had an illness that was only treatable by an addictive and potentially harmful drug. Would you take it? Doctors can be interpreted as our saviors, protectors, counsellors, and possibly even as heroes. But if the doctors of tomorrow are caught using marijuana for treatment purposes, would they still be considered as a hero?
In the article “New Brunswick Bets Nascent Marijuana Sector Will Bring Jobs”, by Darren Campbell, Kevin Coft, the CEO of the major International Herbs (IH) company is in all seriousness supportive of introducing marijuana as a legal drug treatment in New Brunswick, Canada. The article’s main focus is on Coft’s views on how the introduction of marijuana in the doctoral world will be more of a benefit than harm. Through the analysis of Coft’s determination, might the drug actually be a legitimate treatment in a way that may reduce effects of disease or does it add additional harm to patients in the hospitals? Personally, I disagree with Coft; I believe that even exposing patients to the slightest sliver of negative side effects of any drug is considered unethical.
Coft believes that “’the industry could create “thousands of jobs”’ (Campbell, 2016) and hire up to a maximum of 600 people when the unemployment rate was around 9.6% in the province. At a glance, an increase in the employment rate makes us all happy. But if getting employed is at the cost of 70,000 patients that may face chronic side effects, you might think twice about it being a great idea.
The deal about businesses and what to look out for is where their morals lie. Many readers, customers and buyers may suspect greed or unfairness in business deals, especially if the market profits are calculated to be high. The marijuana sector “could be worth $5-billion to $7-billion annually in Canada” (Campbell, 2016). Now, given the profits statistics, Coft’s loyalty is questioned between valuing profit or valuing his customers. However, Coft’s vision is also shared with The Truro Herbal Company, a company that wishes to be a Nova Scotian producer of marijuana. As more companies are willing to create partnerships, the larger the market power, the harder it will be to break that trade.
Although Coft may seemingly look for the benefit of the people by raising the employment rate, he neglects the chronic effects of marijuana such as decrease of the immune system, and destruction of lung fibers all resulting from continuous consumption of marijuana. Coft may not be a bad person per say, but business ethics continue to be a struggle to gain business trust.
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Work Citations:
@globeandmail. “New Brunswick Bets Nascent Marijuana Sector Will Bring Jobs.” The Globe and Mail. Darren Campbell, 09 Sept. 2016. Web. 12 Sept. 2016.
“Watch Truth About Drugs Documentary Video & Learn About Substance Addiction. Get The Facts About Painkillers, Marijuana, Cocaine, Meth & Other Illegal Drugs.” Foundation for a Drug-Free World. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Sept. 2016.
