Legalize Marijuana for ALL uses.
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| Started: | 12/18/2007 | Category: | Society |
| Updated: | 5 years ago | Status: | Voting Period |
| Viewed: | 1,023 times | Debate No: | 660 |
Debate Rounds (3)
Comments (18)
Votes (18)
 Pro Marijuana is completely safe. Marijuana is very healthy. The illegality of Marijuana and criminalization of Marijuana users is an unnecessary and harmful restriction on American culture and its citizens. I await someone to challenge these three points.  Con Marijuana is not completely safe. Period. It's not. When smoke enters your lungs, your alveoli shrivel and die - they can no longer be used. The effects of smoking marijuana for a long period of time are no less serious than smoking cigarettes for a long period of time. Cardiovascular disease and cancer are still risks, not to mention decreased mental capacity whilst being high. For your second point, re-read what I just said. I fail to see how "The illegality of Marijuana and criminalization of Marijuana users is an unnecessary and harmful restriction on American culture and its citizens." I am a citizen of the United States of America. I have been since birth. Never once have I thought that marijuana restriction has hindered me or any of my friends and family. There is no doubt it is a "gate-way" drug - by associating with people who have the means of obtaining cannabis, you are most like associating with people can garner other drugs that are much more dangerous. And frankly, do we want to be part of a culture that condones drug use? |
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Pro I wouldn't have made such polar arguments like my first 2 if I didn't have some evidence to back it up. The myth that Marijuana is not safe is one of the biggest. There has not been one single overdose from Marijuana, and in fact, Marijuana does NOT cause respiratory problems like Tobacco does. From personal experience, Marijuana actually opens my bronchial tubes (you'll just have to take my word). This study concluded Marijuana does not cause lung trouble. http://ajrccm.atsjournals.org... Marijuana is VERY healthy. In fact, it's been found to REDUCE cancer rates in the lung and brain. Just read these: http://www.webmd.com... http://www.ehponline.org... http://americanmarijuana.org... Marijuana doesn't make you stupid either. In fact, it makes your brain work harder. What you choose to have it work on is up to you. (again, this is from personal experience) It also is not linked to psychological problems. http://men.webmd.com... Marijuana is what you make of it. It is safe if YOU are safe and unlike alcohol, it doesn't impair your judgment of being safe. On Marijuana, you are in control at all times. Marijuana's health benefits have been known for a long time. Marijuana was made illegal by Richard NIXON. If it wasn't made illegal for being unsafe or unhealthy, then it was made illegal to fight against the hippies. To fight against American culture. People of all ages, professions, income levels, and backgrounds use marijuana, so it does NOT limit one's role to function in society. Also, because of how harmless Marijuana is, the punishment for having it is outrageous! Possession can result in fines going up thousands of dollars and prison terms lasting YEARS! All for what? Marijuana is SAFE and HEALTHY and its criminalization is thus UNJUST. I know many people who would never break any REAL laws, so why should they be thrown in jail along with the rest of the criminals just for smoking or selling Marijuana? You said that interacting with people who sell marijuana (and assumably other drugs too) puts you at a higher risk for trying harder drugs. Well, if Marijuana was sold at Walgreens, you wouldn't be mingling with those characters. In fact, they'd be out of the job. And finally, the price of Marijuana is way too high. I can get into how legalization will actually benefit the economy, but I'm not going to. Yes, I am a US citizen too. I am a marijuana user. I am in control of Marijuana, not the other way around. Con Krieger forfeited this round. |
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Pro That's really all I got to say about that, check out the links to those studies too if you need some proof, but many people know these things anyway... Con Krieger forfeited this round. |
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18 votes have been placed for this debate. Showing 1 through 10 records.
Vote Placed by shdwfx 5 years ago
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Vote Placed by flatwhite 5 years ago
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Vote Placed by killa_connor 5 years ago
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Vote Placed by Ahking 5 years ago
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Vote Placed by Chob 5 years ago
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Vote Placed by Chickenman 5 years ago
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Vote Placed by PreacherFred 5 years ago
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Vote Placed by WaximusMaximus 5 years ago
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Vote Placed by jwebb893 5 years ago
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Vote Placed by Chuckles 5 years ago
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"You are addicted to an extremly harmful substance."
Wrong. Unlike tobacco, cocaine, heroin, and alcohol, marijuana has no chemically addictive substances in it (thus no form of withdrawal). You can become psychologically addicted to smoking I suppose but it would be like an addiction to jogging or gambling.
"It would be just like the problems with the tobacco companies today. Marijuana companies would pop up everywhere and would begin attacking congress with lobbyists."
This is a simple cost-benefit comparison. From an economic stand point what is more detrimental: To legalize it and tax it to pay for social programs or to provide a tax break (provided that there will will be companies that will send lobbyists to protect their interests) OR to continue a prohibitionist policy and have the tax payers pay for the 75% of drug offenders in prison. Not to mention the amount of money continuously funneled into waging the "war on drugs that could be saved. I think your comparison to tobacco companies and lobbyist is a bad example because much of the tobacco company's dishonesty in Washington DC stems from their desire to cover up the bad health effects of tobacco. This leads to slimey policies that are intended to deceive the consumer in order to get them addicted (tobacco companies are more responsible now... I'm just saying this is what they've been accused of). A marijuana company wouldn't have to hide elements of their product or engage in the same sort of business practices because the product is inherently different. It is not addictive and not demonstrably bad for your health which would lead to more forthright and honest business practices.
Chickenman have you ever smoked before? Did you find it dangerous?
Also, he closes Round 1 with, "And frankly, do we want to be part of a culture that condones drug use?" We already do. Alcohol is a drug and it's abused. Prescription meds are drugs and they're abused. Tobacco is a drug and also abused. They are all condoned by our culture because they are all legal.
For the record, any time you over-indulge in something, it becomes unhealthy. As opposed to teaching responsibility in many cultures (like in the USA), breeding resposible behavior gets neglected. Parents don't want to teach their children things like responsible drinking, and then they're surprised and devastated that their children were killed due to drunk driving. It's a joke.
This is NOT an argument in the debate.
Just for the sake of theory, because I have no proof to back this up (and I'm open to any responses to this type of free-form debate):
What I have found, is that if you work your brain while high, functions like visualization, judgment, reasoning, emotions - thinking in general - are all incredibly enhanced. Tests on attention span and memory are unreliable because attention is a CHOICE. The only reason you forget things you want to remember is because you didn't pay enough attention to it - your own fault.
Marijuana just makes you feel good (floods you with Seratonin). What you do when you've got everything is up to you =)
Most people think a lot when they get high. Whether its about that spot on the wall, how words are formed, the history of the Mongols, or war, these are still your own thoughts and if someone calls you stupid for thinking those things, then that's their problem. It doesn't make you stupid. It makes you free to be and your thoughts flow easily.