Marijuana should be legalized in the US

This will be my last and closing argument. I'll address three of his points: -the first, from his first speech: Marijuana effects the immune system's ability to fight infections -next, the addiction to mj is equal or worse than that of tobacco -last, mj withdrawals Then i'll go on to list some benefits of Marijuana use. 1. My opponent says that Marijuana affects the immune system's ability to fight infections. I'm glad he brought this up, some of my rebuttal relates to a minor "debate" in the comments section. This is true, but quite misleading. There is virtually no danger in this area for humans. The ratio of the amount of cannabinoids (the chemicals in MJ that make you high) to the amount needed for intoxication is 40,000:1. In simpler terms, you would have to take 40,000 times more marijuana than is normally needed to get high. Plainly put: THIS IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. The study that drew this conclusion involved injecting lab rats with EXTREMELY high levels of THC (the active compound in weed). at such unrealistically high levels (just short of a lethal dose), the THC did have a suppressive effect of the immune system,specifically on cells in the liver lymphocytes, and macrophages, which fight bacteria, but not viruses. However it was found this took effect only during intoxication. So here's the facts: weed can negatively affect your immune system during the time you are high if you take an amount of marijuana just short of a lethal dose. and the lethal dose is nearly physically impossible to take. There has never been a death due to marijuana overdose (sorry Inkslinger). 2. Marijuana is NOT physically addicting (at least to a degree to be worried about). It is, however, psychologically addicting. It has been shown less addicting than caffeine. Tobacco, meanwhile, IS physically addicting due to the nicotine contained in cigarettes. You can become psychologically addicted to ANYTHING. Video games, sex, whatever. And yet, video games, sex, and even tobacco, which is the cause of 1 in 6 American deaths, are legal. alcohol, which has been ranked with cocaine and heroin as some of the most addicting drugs. Alcohol is legal. While anything can be abused, anything can be addicting, weed has less risk than most drugs, including legal ones. 3. Marijuana withdrawals are not dangerous and not comparable to many other withdrawals from other drugs. Symptoms of weed withdrawals are basically the opposite of the drug's effects and include: loss of appetite insomnia headache nausea anxiety irritability these are less worrisome than the side effects of many prescription drugs, not to mention withdrawals from other drugs like tobacco. here are the tobacco withdrawal symptoms: # irritation # anger # weight gain # concentration problems # depression # headaches # fatigue # constipation # restlessness # insomnia # dizziness # anxiety. In the end we can see that marijuana is less harmful than other legal drugs like alcohol, tobacco, and prescriptions. But what are some benefits? There are many benefits you can get from using weed as well as many societal benefits to be derived from its legalization. 1. Relief from Nausea and weight loss. - Many chemotherapy patients and AIDS victims suffer from nausea and dramatic wight loss. weed can counteract this through an increase in appetite (the munchies), and it's been shown to help against nausea 2. Relief from Glaucoma -Marijuana can reduce interlobular pressure, thereby alleviating the pain and slowing -- and sometimes stopping -- the progress of the condition. (Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness in the United States. It damages vision by increasing eye pressure over time.)-http://www.wamm.org... 3. Relief from pain -duh 4. MS & epilepsy can reduce or prevent epileptic seizures in some patients and reduces shuddering and involuntary twitching Some benefits in legalizing weed: 1. Government Regulation. -once it is legal the government can regulate it and decrease the chance that the weed is laced with more harmful drugs or harmful substances, as well as other increases in quality. 2. Tax Revenue as i said before, revenue from a tax on legalized marijuana could be in. billions of dollars. here is an analysis of the legalization of MJ's effect on the economy in California: California NORML's analysis of the benefits of marijuana legalization are as follows: * An excise tax of $1 per half-gram joint of marijuana would raise about $1 billion per year, as much as the current excise tax on cigarettes. * Retail sales on the legal market would range from $3 - $5 billion, generating another $250 - 400 million in sales taxes. * Legalization would save over $156 million in law enforcement costs for arrest, prosecution, trial and imprisonment of marijuana offenders. Intrusive CAMP helicopter surveillance would also be eliminated. * Based on experience with the cigarette tax, total revenues of $1.5 - $2.5 billion might be realized. * Based on experience with the wine industry, the total economic activity generated by legal marijuana could be nearly three times as great as retail sales, around $8 - $13 billion. Amsterdam-style coffeehouses would generate jobs and tourism. If the marijuana industry were just one-third the size of the wine industry, it would generate 50,000 jobs and $1.4 billion in wages, along with additional income and business tax revenues for the state. * Industrial hemp could also become a major business, comparable to the $3.4 billion cotton industry in California. - http://www.canorml.org... 3. Cost of enforcement of MJ laws would go down. here's more from that site about the cost of MJ laws' enforcement in california alone: COST OF MARIJUANA ENFORCEMENT IN CALIFORNIA IS OVER $156 MILLION PER YEAR The cost of marijuana enforcement in California currently can be estimated at over $156 million per year, as follows. State prison (1400 prisoners @ $25K per year) $35 million Jail costs (est. 40% of prison population) $14 million Felony prosecution, court & probation (9900 felony cases, SF DA's office estimates $9250 per case) $90 million Felony arrests 12,000 arrests @ $732/arrest* $8.7 million Misdemeanor court costs $100 court time/case, 48,000 cases) $4.8 million Misdemeanor arrests ($300/arrest,* offset by fines) ----- $0 California Marijuana Suppression Program (OCJP) $3.8 million Total $156.3 million Not counted above are costs of non-helicopter surveillance and investigation by local sheriffs and police. Also not counted are the substantial costs of criminal penalties to prisoners and their families. * Arrest costs based on report by State Office of Narcotics and Drug Abuse to the Cal. legislature "A First Report of the Impact of California's New Marijuana Law" (1977), adjusted for inflation. Now imagine the whole country's costs, even without the drug war's cost from other enforcement efforts. My opponent has failed to source any references, only to make vague statements about marijuana, which i have proven wrong or misleading. The benefits of marijuana and its legalization would be dramatic for this nation, and that is why you must vote pro. Thanks for the debate, Jesus, and see you around.