STATES OF SIN

States of Sin: Government Regulation of Morality from Marijuana to Prostitution

is a discussion series facilitated by Levan Fellows and directed by Brianna Johnson, dedicated to examining ambiguous ethical questions in society. Discussions will be framed around articles or topics that participants will be expected to engage with before meeting. Levan's Salon Series

“Good people don’t smoke marijuana,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions once said. His claim helped explain his vocal demonization of the drug, a demonization that includes the reversal of an Obama-era policy which gave states the authority over marijuana legalization. His statement and the ensuing responses emphasizing the (a)morality of smokers highlights a tension in historical American values - the puritanism that abstains from alcohol and sex, and the wild west culture of prostitutes, guns, and freedom. Whether or not the government has any business regulating drugs, alcohol, or sex for purely moral reasons has fascinated our politics…