Legal But Harmful challenges one of society’s most dangerous assumptions: that if something is legal, it must therefore be safe, ethical or beneficial. Through compelling stories, research and real-world examples, the book explores how many of the products, industries and practices that shape our daily lives can cause significant harm despite operating entirely within the law. From public health and consumer protection to environmental and social impacts, it examines the gap between legality and responsibility.
Drawing on decades of experience across industry, education and community engagement, author Mike Lotzof invites readers to look beyond simplistic debates of right and wrong. Instead, he reveals the complex systems of incentives, regulation and human behaviour that allow harmful practices to persist, often hidden in plain sight. The book asks difficult questions about accountability, informed choice and the role each of us plays as consumers, citizens and decision-makers.
Neither a manifesto nor an attack on any single industry, Legal But Harmful is a call for critical thinking and constructive change. It challenges readers to reconsider what they accept as normal, to question assumptions about risk and responsibility, and to imagine a future where legal standards better reflect the values and wellbeing of the communities they are meant to serve.