Final answer:
A major ethical issue involves significant moral debates that impact society's well-being, such as those in bioethics, environmental ethics, and business ethics, unlike legal transgressions which are not on the same scale of ethical concerns.
Step-by-step explanation:
When discussing major ethical issues, what is not considered a major ethical issue is subjective and varies by context and societal norms. However, activities such as drinking under age, driving over the speed limit, or smoking marijuana are typically seen as legal issues rather than major ethical dilemmas. Major ethical issues often pertain to controversies in bioethics, environmental ethics, business ethics, and the ethical considerations of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence. Case studies in unethical biomedical research, such as experiments that violate basic ethical standards, highlight the importance of ethics in clinical settings where professionals face dilemmas like managing patients who decline vaccines or blood transfusions. The implementation of codes of ethics by organizations and professional societies, like the IEEE-CS's Software Engineering Code of Ethics, guides members in making ethical decisions that align with societal values like privacy, safety, and environmental protection.