Marijuana has more medical benefits than coffee.

-- Continuation of rebuttals -- 2. Elaboration Is caffeine bad? It was previously believed that caffeine was, in fact, very bad for one's health. However, there is no doubt that most modern studies and far more advanced ones show far more positive sides of caffeine than ever before, specifically when consumed in moderate amounts. Caffeine has been proven to increase the performance of the mind (hereby body, too) when consumed in moderate amounts. Most modern studies will do nothing but prove that right.[1] The point is that since it is a psychoactive drug, it is natural that exaggerating will lead to e.g. headache. The same will happen with marijuana, and even worse than just a headache. Furthermore, my opponent said that "none of this has much to do with *medical* benefits." This is false. Assume that you are a P.E. teacher, but suffer from fatigue. It would be extremely beneficial with a few cups of coffee because it has been proven that coffee intake makes you more alert and gives an energy boost. That is why many energy drinks have caffeine (but too much, e.g. 7:1 ratio compared to a cup of coffee). Also, those who suffer from fatigue in general would feel medical benefits because they get a boost of energy, both mentally and physically. Furthermore, when it comes to insomnia, people who sleep for a short time because they sleep late and have to wake up early, it is also a great medical benefit for them to consume coffee. Moreover, "if," as my opponent implied, coffee makes you exhausted, then it cannot possibly lead to insomnia as she falsely stated because your mind and body will both desire rest. Therefore, it helps people with insomnia and cannot cause insomnia. 3. My opponent objects to the fact that coffee reduces depression. "The causes of depression are abuse, ingesting certain medications, conflict, genetics, death/loss, major events, serious illnesses, substance abuse and biology." And "As you can see, drinking coffee can not significantly effect or impact *any* of those contributing factors to depression." This is pretty much daft. When did I claim that coffee "prevented" depression? I did not. I claimed that it helps "reducing" depression, which is correct. It can also help removing a great deal of depression that one suffers from, by eliminating the strongest effects of it. My source: "The study stated that it could be that THE COFFEE ITSELF HAD LITTLE TO DO WITH IT" Correct, it "could be." There are thousands of scientific theories that are not fully proven at all. It is not 100% proven that coffee reduces depression, but more and more studies point toward that and debunk old theories, so yes, it is much more valid to believe in this.[2] 4. Parkinson's What my opponent said has not debunked the study of coffee and Parkinson's in any way. She said, "Right here we can see that the effect coffee has on Parkinson's is still widely debated and disputed." But there is nothing we can see to suggest so in what she quoted. Because many studies on coffee are new, they are still supported by various scientific studies and researchers, while the old studies have turned into mere hypotheses. There is a high possibility that coffee reduces risk of Parkinson's, even up to as much as 80%.[3] http://coffeetea.about.com... Still, the fact that there are a great deal of studies regarding many health benefits of coffee invalidates my opponent's arguments. Coffee can impossibly reduce the immune system. We are dealing with studies of valid scientific theories, not mere hypotheses. 5. Diabetes I said, "[Coffee] Reduces risk of diabetes" My opponent said, "On the contrary, there is a plethora of evidence that suggests caffeine is bad for those with diabetes." Yes, those "with" diabetes, not those without. I said it reduces the risk of "getting" diabetes. Argument invalidated. Moving on… My opponent defended herself about the contradictions of her statements. I really do not want to derail the topic of the debate, so I am going to argue about this externally, as if I argued in the comments section, but with a reference because that is easier. Please see reference [REF.] -- More rebuttals -- 1. "For instance, the only real benefits Con cited and proved are that coffee contains antioxidants and things that fight bacteria. Obviously the harms I detailed and described in the last round far outweigh any of these minor positive effects." Not true. I proved tons of others. See: [5] 2. My opponent claimed that marijuana is not harmful, only beneficial, but "In that way, we can see that coffee is in fact more harmful." Then she said that harms of marijuana are due to overexposure, as with the case of caffeine. Yes, the latter is true, but why is caffeine, then, more harmful? No overexposure of caffeine, no harm. 3. My arguments are mainly stronger because tons of studies of marijuana are by Harvard researchers, and they debunked their own theories of caffeine, while I see no same people doing that with marijuana. Only different claims by different people. 4. None of my claims have been debunked. There were few claims, but all got refuted. I can come with tons of refutations to bad claims about caffeine, but I got little space. -- Marijuana, good or bad? -- Let us really examine the effects of marijuana, even in so-called "moderate amounts." In fact, "moderate" amounts do not make you feel high, so moderate amounts of marijuana bring no fun. • Cancer Marijuana has been linked to cancer. Several studies have proven it.[6] Strong scientific support. In fact, the studies that prove this are modern, usually from 2009. Marijuana hardly cures cancer. The number of scientists who claim this are far fewer in numbers than those who claim that marijuana links to cancer 'or' does not cure it. The scientists who speak positively of coffee are in far greater numbers than those who speak negatively.[7] • Alzheimer's Not only does marijuana "not" cure or prevent Alzheimer's, but it can cause it. Many studies point toward that.[8] • Epilepsy Whether or not marijuana cures epilepsy is disputable, but there is no sign of prevention or cure - only temporary "cure." One you withdraw from usage of marijuana, the effect of epilepsy can be even worse, as your mind is used to the effect of marijuana. So, since the mind gets addicted, is that also not bad, as my opponent claims with caffeine because it is also addicting? And as bad as physical addiction is, it can be cured like mental addiction.[9] • Nausea Marijuana does not necessarily cure nausea. People experience even worse cases after marijuana intake.[10] I have very little char. space, so I cannot refute everything, but there are great refutations. Here are a few more negative effects of marijuana: [11] They are extremely severe and there is nothing that debunks them. There needs to be a lot more evidence, much more than my opponent presented. All in all, coffee as far less harms and marijuana has many harms, and not many benefits. Coffee is extremely beneficial. I thank her. -- References -- [1] http://www.good-health.co.uk... [2] http://hubpages.com... [3] http://coffeetea.about.com... [4] http://www.cosic.org... [5] http://ezinearticles.com... [6] http://www.sciencedaily.com... [7] http://www.reuters.com... [8] http://www.science20.com... [9]http://www.mellowgold.com... [10]http://www.askthedoctor.com... [11]http://alcoholism.about.com... [REF.] http://www.debate.or...