marijuana legalization

My opponent, "Guidestone" has not disagreed with my statement that marijuana is safer than alcohol, and wisely so. And by assumption and deductive reasoning, Guidestone has stated that I support the legalization of crack and heroin since they are also safer than alcohol. Let me first say that I do not profess to agree with this statement that all drugs, even heroin or crack, are safer than alcohol. This is a common tactic in debates used by those who oppose the legalization of marijuana. It is a diversion, and one that side-tracks the argument off into another tangent, and rather a new topic of whether all drugs should be legalized because they may or may not be safer than alcohol. I choose not participate in another subject because the argument of whether marijuana should be legalized is enough of a discussion in itself and one that Guidestone agreed to participate in by his acceptance of my challenge on the subject of marijuana legalization at debate dot org. Since marijuana, or "cannabis", is a schedule I controlled substance by federal law, it is deemed a drug with no medical potential. Therefore, scientific researchers unfortunately cannot easily study cannabis so that scientific research can be conducted in a fair and conducive setting. But, many prominent doctors are beginning to become more open to the notion that is has tremendous potential for a number of ailments. In fact, preliminary research suggests that it has promise for many neurological disorders like epilepsy. Other preliminary data suggests curative/preventative properties for diabetes type II, and, the big one, cancer. Rather, the data is suggesting that marijuana actually has protective qualities and is bringing hope to those sticken with terrible diseases in medical marijuana states that have access to it's active and non-psycho active properties when no other "legal" drugs have made a difference(1). But when we have confirmed scientific evidence that alcohol is indeed more dangerous than marijuana, then I would argue there is definitively something morally wrong with the laws in our society. And by that I mean that if we are to judge those who consume marijuana are wrong in doing so because they are breaking the law, and if those laws are correct that punish those who are found guilty of consuming this substance into their bodies, then it begs this question: Should alcohol also be illegal as well? By many conservative and traditional opinions, ideals and personal principles, and by history itself, we know the answer to be yes. But we also know that alcohol prohibition put power into the hands that were corrupt and that it caused the growth and empowerment of a black market, the mafia and in turn provided a financial basis by which organized crime could flourish(2). Prohibition of alcohol only prevented the government from regulating the industry, making it a safer product, and collected tax revenue from its sales. It didn't stop people from consuming it, and was deemed a failure and eventually repealed. In some cases, it only made it easier for the young to get it, and made it cheaper for others. The prohibition of marijuana is doing essentially the same thing. The drug war against marijuana has made Mexican drug cartels powerful and violent and has failed to end the supply and demand of marijuana. By some estimates, as many as 100,000 people have died in the last decade from Mexican drug cartel territorial wars. Cannabis prohibition has made it easy for children to get it. The consumers have become less resistant, more peaceful and therefore easy targets by drug enforcement agents, resulting in imprisonment of millions of U.S. Citizens, making the United States prison population the biggest of it's entire population than any other modern civilization than of any other on Earth(5). There has been a swift change in the thinking that it currently sweeping the nation. Just this year, Gallup(6) and Pew(7) polls have measured that more Americans now feel that marijuana should be legalized than are against the notion. It is with this logic that the marijuana laws are changing at the state level. 20 states have enacted medicinal marijuana laws for those with chronic illnesses and 2 states have enacted laws making the recreational use of marijuana legal. The U.S. Justice Department has recently stated they will not interfere with state laws that prevent distribution to minors; revenue from marijuana sales going to criminals, gangs or cartels; state-authorized conduct being a pretext to traffic other illegal drugs or other illegal activity; diversion into states that do not have laws authorizing marijuana conduct; violence or the use of firearms in cultivation and distribution; drugged driving and other harm to public health; the growing of marijuana on public lands; marijuana use on federal property. My opponent argues that marijuana is a gateway drug and has provided a study to support his statement. But more recent research suggests that more prevalent gateway substances are the legal ones, alcohol and tobacco(4). In this case, it again supports my argument that if one substance is banned, so then should legal ones be banned that are even more influential to try other drugs. My opponent argues that marijuana use causes health issues. Again, I am not debating whether pot can have potental side effects. I am simply saying that if American society finds alcohol safe enough to legalize, we should not demonize cannabis that is a safer choice, an aspect which Guidestone has not argued. But if we were to go down this road, I will say that there is absolutely no evidence that anyone has ever died from an overdose of marijuana. But, there are thousands of well-documented cases where alcohol has been the sole cause of poisoning and death. And to fairly administrate such a debate solely on specific health aspects, we may not be able to fully complete this discussion until fair, verifiable scientific research on cannabis has been studied and affirmed. 1. http://www.cnn.com... 2. http://en.wikipedia.org... 3. http://en.wikipedia.org... 4. http://en.wikipedia.org... 5. http://en.wikipedia.org... 6. http://www.gallup.com... 7. http://www.pollingreport.com...