Cannabis Legalization

Thank you for this debate opportunity. Over the course of modern history marijuana has been stigmatized, associated with negative connotations and been blamed as the gateway to stronger more addictive drugs. Marijuana, also known as cannabis may not be the worst drug known to man, but it is known as a gateway drug. Meaning it leads to stronger, more powerful drugs. I will have two reasons as to why cannabis must stay illegal to maintain a safe society. I value American education. American educations is; the knowledge and development resulting from an educational process, such as schooling. 50% of American teenagers try cannabis before their high school graduation. 2% of those trying cannabis do not graduate from high school. Legalizing cannabis will only effect teenagers and everyone who tries this drug in a detrimental way. Valuing American education will educate, and prevent the use of cannabis in school systems. Definitions: Cannabis: Any of the preparations (as marijuana or hashish) or chemicals (as THC) that are derived from the hemp and are psychoactive (Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary) I accept my opponent's definition of addictive. Now onto my case. Contention 1: Smoking, or use of cannabis may lead to serious illnesses. According to a recent Lancent study, marijuana use can increase the risk of developing a psychotic illness by 40%, and the risk of developing schizophrenia by 100%. Also, the same study shows smoking one cannabis joint does the same amount of damage to your lungs as five tobacco cigarettes. Saying an average person smoking this drug smokes one joint a day equals one thousand, eight hundred, twenty five cigarettes in a single year. Contention 2: Cannabis selling companies will manipulate to sell the drug. Sub-point A:The industrialization of cannabis, will bring about a heartless, faceless, lifeless, machine. In the same fashion as the tobacco industry, the marijuana industry will work to mass produce a product and increase profitability at any cost. That means manipulating the high quality green the people will smoke, into a cheaper, lower quality, more addictive, product that they need to smoke. Sub-point B:America is infamous for exploiting weaker cultures, countries, and markets, in order to turn a profit. Industries turn a machine like cheek to morality, and do what it takes to one up the competition. The point is, weed, can be manipulated into a drug used for social deterioration. The same way alcohol cripples pieces of Eastern Europe, and even American communities, and the same way amphetamines plague destitute America, weed will find its place in social deterioration. Ultimately, how can a culture conquer the quest for the American dream, when they're on drugs being sold to them by the gate-keepers of that very dream? Now onto my opponents case. Contention 1: My opponent claims that cannabis may fund the government. I agree, it will fund the government if a tax is put onto the substance. To get away from the financial side, lets move to the moral side. Is it right to make money off of something that is harming that person, who may be unaware of this harm? No, it is not. Lives are more important than all the finances in the world. Contention 2: My opponent says cannabis has less harmful effects than cigarettes, which I have shown that it is equal to smoking five cigarettes for every joint smoked. According to a very recent Lancet study. So it harms people much more than smoking a regular cigarette. Contention 3: Cannabis is addictive, even though it is not as addictive as nicotine, people say it is like being dependant on caffeine. It is not just the addiction that hurts a person either, marijuana and other cannabis drugs are gateway drugs. Meaning they lead to other, more powerful drugs. For these reasons I strongly urge a negative vote, thank you for visiting this debate. Sources: thegooddrug.com Lancent studies (Harvard University) drugwatch.org newcannabisclub.net