The U.S Government should legalize recreational marijuana.

Thanks again to Kozu for this debate should be fun! Harm caused from Marijuana use.Marijuana can alter the user’s sense and mood. It can impair body movement, alter memory, and decrease the ability to problem solve. It is known to affected brain development negatively. It can cause breathing problems, hallucinations, and paranoia. It can cause anxiety, depression, and has been shown to induce suicidal thoughts in teens. (1) It is not a stretch to assume that someone who’s mood is altered, having hallucinations, is paranoid, and having suicidal thoughts poses a threat tothemselves and others. Justified LawMy opponent says I “will need to show that marijuana itself creates a significant enough harm to others, in order to justify marijuana’s illegality.” This is inconsistent with the quote he has cited from Mill. "The only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others" Thus by pro’s own standard if I can show that Marijuana creates harm to others then power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community… Ergo if harm to others can be demonstrated, a law to outlaw such is justified.Unfortunately for pro, his second contention concedes such harm exists. Per his own source, and demonstrated in the graph provided, Marijuana poses not only self-harm, but harm to others. Thus Pro concedes that Marijuana creates harm to others. Therefore, from his own source and criteria we see that a law to outlaw marijuana is justified.Consistency of LawPro argues “If the U.S government accepts these risks of harm, it is only reasonable that we should allow another substance who's risks are significantly less; that being marijuana.” I have a few responses to this. First I would note that this debate is about marijuana specifically and thus I do not have to justify the status quo of all U.S. laws, I only need justify the illegality of marijuana. Secondly, if we to accept that all the laws must be consistent, it is just as reasonable to argue that the evidence provided is as much support to outlaw all the listed substances as it is to legalize all the substances. RC1. Freedom of Autonomy: While freedom of autonomy is generally valued in society, it is not carried to an extreme. There has always been a limit to the amount of freedom the individual has in society. Obedience to laws in society requires autonomy to necessarily be limited. RC2. Low Level of Harm to Self and Others: Up to this point in the debate we have concluded that a) The outlawing of marijuana is justified and b) Arguing consistency supports evenly the status quo and legalizing and thus is a non factor.RC3. Benefits from Regulation: a) Taxation: I conceded that taxing this market could bring in revenue, though so could taxing child prostitution. Thus revenue alone is not sufficient of a reason to allow the harm that marijuana brings. I give this same response to C3b “Safety and Reduction of the Black Market” C3c “job creation.”Conclusion:Pro’s C1 affirms that outlawing marijuana is justified. C2 concedes the harm marijuana poses, I have added sources and examples of specific harms that marijuana poses. C3 are generic arguments that could be made about any topic good or bad. None of these contentions address the harm caused. because the outlawing of marijuana is by my opponents standard shown to be justified, and as the use of Marijuana clearly causes harm it should remain outlawed.Sources:(1) http://www.drugabuse.gov...