Marijuana legalization,taxation and sale for adults 18 +

**readers my opponent and I agreed medical marijuana was irrelevant, so his first argument is irrelevantMy opponents argument lies on a 3 part thesis arguing:a) drug war not workingb) have better things to doc) natural grownI will refute each of these in order. My opponents first assumption is based on misinformation. The rationale behind this argument, when ignoring the facts, does seem very convincing. The war on drugs isn't working, has not and cannot be won, and drugs are still widely available. This is one of the backbones to the legalization case, as well as my opponents argument. But the argument here is guess what? false. Many also claim making drugs illegal just creates more angst and has no effect on users. But when looking at the facts, you see my opponents case mainly lies on rhetoric. Casual usage of drugs is on the decline. Overall dug usage is down one third in the US, thats 9.5 million people not doing drugs. Aka there was a decrease in drug usage by 10 million. Using school data, 2/3 kids are drug free. Now the significance of this is a moot unless we can conjure up other data (before and after). What makes this more significant as this is the first time in 7 years we can report mainly drug free schools. Also there are some very low levels (many record lows) in drug usage among teens. Further, in the 1980s and 90s there was a crack epidemic, once he DEA increased punishments and began to do more work the amount of chronic users has decreased. Further overall since the drug war there has been a decrease trend in marijuana users. Further, from 1976-99 there was a 33% drop in heroine users! [1] (note other drugs are just to prove there is a deterrence effect)Now lets look at supply reduction. In Texas after 9/11 they had many drug busts. Now one can argue this as it does not matter, but look at the facts again. Major drug bust that only happen if we catch them do many things:1) Lower drug supply2) Raise costs on the transportation's, and lost expensive merchandise These two things are undeniably effective. One from a market standpoint, the other from a usage standpoint. Further one DEA program, operation purple, is having major effects on the cocaine industry (other projects happen on marijuana) and make the supply harder to obtain etc. Now, readers I will explain why I listed so much info on other drugs: this shows that all drugs are effected by bans, a deterrent effect therefore lower users. It also shows drug bust that only happen when drugs are banned lower the amount on supply and raise costs on dealers. The point is more laws = less users. Here is a nifty graph: My opponents second claim is based on the government has better things to do. This is quite vauge, it is likely arguing the government should spend money on treatment. Unless my opponent argues the money in the DEA should be used towards treatment, then I argye he needs to mention it before I mis-argue. And his last argunment is essentially saying marijuana is not that bad, or argues it is natural. One could argue many things, but being pure does not mean its inherintly good, and whether or not marijuana is better then other drugs is irrelevant. Before refuting this, lets look at what marijuana does: Harder to fight sickness containes 400-2000 chemicals hearts brain, lungs, heart, and mouth contains more cancer causing agents then cigarettes. [2] Whether or not it is natural is irrelevant, I have lready proven it is unhealthy. Its like saying lava is natural... bad analogy. Anyway, you get the point something being natural or more natural is irrelevant. Further, the argunment he is making how are a couple of leaves bad? You know oak leaves dont hurt people, lets burn up some of those! False. THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) is a mind altering substance in marijuana. THC is a terrible chemical, and guess what? Marijuana containes almost 10% THC. [3] Now again to my refutation to my opponents (1) or (a). "In fact, marijuana use declined from the late 1990s through 2007, with a decrease in past-year use of more than 20 percent in all three grades combined from 2000 to 2007."[3]My opponents argunments are debunked. C1 - Legalization, increased usersIt always baffels me when people say lealization will have no effect on users. Well any law will have an effect on users, increase decrease. No matter what there is likely to be a trend, and legalization will lead to increased users. I am low on time, so need to quote this: "It’s clear from history that periods of lax controls are accompanied by more drug abuse and that periods of tight controls are accompanied by less drug abuse. ... The consequences of legalization became evident when the Alaska Supreme Court ruled in 1975 that the state could not interfere with an adult’s possession of marijuana for personal consumption in the home. The court’s ruling became a green light for marijuana use. Although the ruling was limited to persons 19 and over, teens were among those increasingly using marijuana. According to a 1988 University of Alaska study, the state’s 12 to 17-year-olds used marijuana at more than twice the national average for their age group. Alaska’s residents voted in 1990 to recriminalize possession of marijuana, demonstrating their belief that increased use was too high a price to pay."[4] Long story short: legal marijuana = more users C2 - Can't legalize drugs by international lawDecriminalize? yes. Legalize? no. Decriminalization is possible, legalization like the title argues is impossible. 1961, Convention of Narcotics. The treaty was to prohibit procuction and supply of drugs. [5] So drugs cannot be legalized under law! legalization is illegal, ironic huh?C3 - Drugs and crimeUsing drugs causes crime. source 6. As proven, drug legalization means more usage. As proven here with this graph, drug users generally comit crimes many under the influence. [6] so leglalization increases crime[s].Low on time, I can expand this later. Vote con. [1] http://www.justice.gov...[2] http://my.clevelandclinic.org... [3] http://teens.drugabuse.gov... [4] http://www.justice.gov... [5] http://en.wikipedia.org... [6] http://www.justice.gov...