Resolved: The state of Georgia ought legalize the recreational use/possession of marijuana.

In my final response for this debate, I will respond to my opponent’s arguments from the previous round and conclude my portion of the debate with the reasons as to why the voters should consider me as the winner of the said debate. [Con Arguments] Automobile Accidents/Opponent’s Evidence: Essentially what my opponent has conceded to is that there is a lack of methodology in both pieces of his evidence that corrects his data for any lurking variables. This alone shows that his evidence is unreliable because the data is skewed or misrepresented, in addition to finding contradictory findings, as I’ve pointed out earlier. My opponent says that the purpose of showing his evidence was to show on an organization’s findings, but those findings are moot without the methodology’s legitimization, meaning his evidence can’t be looked at. My opponent has made no arguments against my explanation as to why his evidence is contradictory, so it can only be assumed that my opponent conceded to this point as well. The only legitimization for the evidence that my opponent provides is that he says is an ad Authoritatum argument that it comes from the National Institutes of Health, as if they’re an exception to quality experimentation and survey analysis. Objective DUI Test: It took time to make an objective test for alcohol DUIs, and it’ll take time in order to make an objective test for marijuana DUIs. However, rather than saying that there is no possibility for such a thing to be done, my opponent implies that an objective test can be created. There are ways that police officers can check for the use of other drugs, including marijuana, through an eye test [1], and while the objectiveness of such a test is questionable, it does mean that the creation of an objective test is a possibility. My opponent makes no arguments against the cost of making an objective test in order to determine DUIs, so I believe it to mean that he concedes to the idea that the funds from marijuana legalization could fund the creation of a test. My opponent talks about children dying on the streets of Georgia, something that I honestly find a bit of an exaggeration, especially considering he conceded to the point that legalization of marijuana won’t necessarily increase marijuana use or acquisition in adolescents, that he has provided no arguments against the idea that legalization would provide a more effective deterrent against the use of marijuana among adolescents, and that his data show that about 7% of fatal car accidents involve marijuana—many of them involving the use of other illegal substances or alcohol. Possibility of Legalization: It’s impossible to say that individual states cannot legalize marijuana when two states have already done it for recreational purposes. Additionally, let’s remember that these states aren’t the only ones that have legalized marijuana if you include other states that legalized marijuana for medicinal purposes, even Montana and New Mexico—two more conservative states that legalized marijuana during the incumbency of George W. Bush. A quicker legalization could at least secure some annual funds during the current Obama administration, but the general trend of marijuana laws shows an increasing possibility of reforms to the American status quo. In fact, the House of Representatives is currently under the process of reviewing a bill that would have federal agents respect state marijuana laws—proving the existence of the mentioned trend. “If passed, people who are in compliance with their state laws concerning marijuana will not be subject to federal penalty under the Controlled Substances Act. ‘This bipartisan bill represents a common-sense approach that establishes federal government respect for all states’ marijuana laws,’ Rohrabacher said in a prepared statement, ‘It does so by keeping the federal government out of the business of criminalizing marijuana activities in states that don’t want it to be criminal.’ With 21 states and Washington, D.C. already having approved medical marijuana, and two states already legal, along with the new poll which just came out showing 58% in support of legalization in Texas, it’s essentially a matter of when the federal government will reform its marijuana laws.” [2] [Reasons to Vote Pro] Proven Benefits Over Harms: Regardless of the amount of time spent on the automobiles argument, not only have I proven all of the other benefits to the state of Georgia from marijuana legalization, but my opponent has conceded to almost all of them. I’ve proven the monetary benefits of legalization, the better deterrence from legalization, and the reductions to crime, all of them providing a primarily positive outcome to legalization. Because I’ve proven a primarily positive outcome, I’ve proven that the state of Georgia ought legalize the recreational use of marijuana. Feasibility of Legalization: Considering the two states that had already legalized the recreational use of marijuana and the other states that have legalized the use for medicinal reasons, this alone proves that legalizing marijuana is feasible, and it helps show a pattern of changing drug policy. This was a bit of a deviation from the topic considering that we’re arguing whether or not a state should legalize marijuana rather if it can, but nevertheless, I’ve proven that it can. Evidence: The evidence that I’ve provided is much more effective than my opponent’s. It’s coherent and adjusts for lurking variables, unlike my opponent’s evidence. Henceforth, my case is stronger because it’s grounded in better information. For these reasons, I urge a Pro vote. [1] http://www.katu.com... [2] http://txcann.com...