Legalization

Uuurm... Salutations towards you as well. :/ I suppose we can get right into it. "The legalization of Marijuana is setting young teens up for failure. Along with that would likely come health and community costs: increase in accidents due to things like driving under the influence.. Marijuana is not harmless; it is addictive, and it does affect the brain. Do you want to be on the road with a bunch of stoned drivers?" I will divide your statement chunk by chunk and refute. "The legalization of Marijuana is setting young teens up for failure." How so? Marijuana Regulation would be the same as Alcohol and Tobacco regulation, the Age restriction would probably be set at 19, or in Canada 21. Are you suggesting that I would want to have it legal for any citizen? "Along with that would likely come health and community costs" Yes, Smoking is unhealthy. However public studies show that Tobacco is actually more harmful in terms of toxins and carcinogens then Marijuana! Proof below. I will elaborate. (https://www.google.ca...) Community costs? Would you care to abbreviate? You do realize how lucrative the Marijuana industry is? "increase in accidents due to things like driving under the influence.." Actually, driving under the influence of Marijuana is safer then Alcohol. Interesting, no? Here are statistics. (I will elaborate) (https://www.google.ca...) (https://www.google.ca...) "Marijuana is not harmless; it is addictive, and it does affect the brain." Marijuana is one the least addictive narcotics/Substances currently known to man. In the link provided below(0), to the upwards of 9% of all individuals who smoke Marijuana Will become addicted. Comparing this to the addiction/dependency rates of Alcohol(1), Tobacco(2), Cocaine(3), Heroin(4), and Ecstasy(5), It's almost trivial. I will ask in good faith you read these documents. (0) (https://www.google.ca...) (1) (https://www.google.ca...) (2) (https://www.google.ca...) (3) (https://www.google.ca...) (4) (https://www.google.ca...) (5) (https://www.google.ca...) "Do you want to be on the road with a bunch of stoned drivers?" First of all, you insinuate that if Marijuana was legalized, all Civilian drivers would be Potheads and a danger to all other pedestrians. Let's take a step back, and allow me to walk you through this, but first, Do you want to be on the road with a Alcoholic/Drunk? Alcohol is the leading cause of Motor impairment, and Vehicle related deaths. In 2013, It accounted for a total of 31% of all vehicular traffic fatalities(10,076 people). 65% of victims were drivers, 27% Occupants, and 8% Pedestrians. (https://www.google.ca...) Compare this to THC(the active cannabinoid in Marijuana) related impairment accidents. As of 2014, an estimated 3.8% of all adolescents and adults were reported to have driven under the influence(at least once). Alcohols fatality rate is higher, but let us continue. This has lowered since 2012(3.9%), and 2007(4.9). Compare this to the estimated stat of 10.9% of adolescents and adults who admitted to driving impaired! That's almost triple. Difficulty remains for the assessment of how many accidents/Fatalities Marijuana/Narcotics cause, because in most prevalent cases, Marijuana AND alcohol are both in alleged drivers systems. This creates an issue of determining which substance caused the most damage/effect in the accident. All statistics located below. (https://www.google.ca...) New points on platform for debate. -Marijuana is Safer then Alcohol, in virtually all aspects. -Marijuana is Safer then Tobacco in terms of actual Health hazards.(Carcinogens, Tars, and Addiction) Now, with all refutations complete,I would like to introduce how Marijuana would function in society. Just as is today, I would argue for continuation of Marijuana to be sold in Regulated and Government approved facilities(Dispensaries). -Tax Revenue is the main point I wish to address, and definitively the most important. As of writing this, Marijuana is legal in 4 US states(Alaska, Colorado, Washington, and Oregon), and Profits are absolutely tremendous! In the First Month of Legal usage, Colorado banked over 2 Million dollars in sales! Imagine replicated results in all 50 US states. Remember, that was in One month, in a single state. -Expenditure of Overall budget would decrease significantly. It's insurmountable(Not a Hyperbole) to how much Money the US spends on Contraband(Specifically Marijuana) opposition. Every year, Tens of Millions are liquidated on Federal/State court cases for Marijuana Possession, Sales, Cultivation, and dispensing of Marijuana Paraphernalia, along with Police activity in Looking for, Capturing, and Destruction of Marijuana, Product that could be taxed. -Wastes Police time and occupancy. If all time spent on the Seizure of marijuana was reimbursed into over 60 other forms of much Harsher and serious crime(1), I have no doubt in my mind America, and the world would be safer. (https://www.google.ca...) There is more points I wish to address, however I would like to give my opponent the opportunity to make his own.