Mary Jane should be Legal

First off, I'd like to begin with an explanation of what a burden of proof is, since he is misconstruing it. The burden of proof falls on debaters whose plans and policy require a change in the status quo. Legalizing marijuana would definetely cause a change in the status quo. Thus, by definition of what the burden of proof is, it falls squarely onto my opponent to prove why his plan is better than the current status quo. Thusly, it is just on him, not on both of us. By trying to change the definition of what a burden of proof is, he is actually lessening the educational value we can get from discussing the burden of proof. My paradigm is the only one which preserves the educational value and definition of the burden of proof, thus mine should be preferred.Next, I will provide an armada of sources proving that, because of the adverse affects that smoking marijuana can have, it should not be legalized (sources may end up in the comments, depending on how many character I have left). There are a lot of harmful emotional and psychological side-effects to using marijuana, such as paranoia, emotional disorders, increased risk of schizophrenia and other neuropsychiatric disorders, memory loss, increased tolerance to intoxication, addiction to marijuana and other drugs (especially with its increasing potency), and loss of ability to concentrate and loss of inhibition.[1]Marijuana is an addictive substance to both adults and teenagers.[2][3][4][5] People getting addicted to smoking marijuana and developing dependence is increasing.[6] If we allow marijuana to be a legal substance, we only increase the rate at which people get addicted to it. In men, marijuana causes decreased serum testosterone levels, sperm count, and sperm motility.[7]Suddenly stopping smoking marijuana causes withdrawl[8] and causes symptoms like irritability, agitation, depression, insomnia, nausea, anorexia, and tremors. Symptoms tends to peak in 48 hours and can last for weeks.[9][10] Marijuana has a number of harmful carcinogens and other chemicals that cause slow reaction itme, alters brain processing, degrades decision making, and a number of other harmful side effects,[11][12][13] and is a leading cause of lung cancer.[14] Marijuana also causes people to be less successful.[15] People who smoke marijuana tend to have lower levels of income.[16] Marijuana smoke is shown to be bad for the body.[17]Marijuana affects our blood flow.[18]Marijuana causes negative personality afflictions.[19]Marijuana impairs memory later in life.[20]Marijuana negatively affects how the brain functions.[21] Even the second-hand smoke from marijuana smoke has negative effects.[22] The chemicals in marijuana cause decreased coordination.[23]For the above health reasons, I wager that legalizing marijuana is a generally bad idea. While making access to marijuana illegal does not solve everything, I will concede to that, it does minimize the amount of harm. Legalizing it only makes more people use marijuana, which would only increase the health harms. Now, let's go and respond to some of the points raised by my opponent.A: Marijuana is least addictive1. Just because it's the least addictive, it doesn't make it NOT addictive. 2. He gives no warrant as for why it's true, just asserts that it is true. So if I can assert things to be truth and they would actually be truth, let's list a few things that I would say is truth.- Solipsism is true, and my opponent doesn't exist.- Marijuana doesn't exist, thus there's no reason to legalize something that doesn't exist.- In my backyard is a jacuzzi full of strippers in bikinis getting wasted off of champagne and vodka.None of these things are truth (although I do wish the third one was truth, it would certainly make things interesting), but I can assert that they are true.B: Hemp is goodJust because growing hemp has it's benefits, it doesn't outweigh the obvious negative attributes of smoking marijuana has on the health.C: Prohibition bad1. Prohibition actually causes a benefit by preventing teens and adults from going to harder drugs, such as cocaine or heroin. Let's face it, most teenagers and some adults who smoke marijuana illegally do it because it's illegal and it gives them the thrill of breaking the law. If we legalize marijuana, it removes that rush of doing something illegal and forces them to move onto harder and more deadly drugs, which is a definite minus.2. Even if prohibition is bad, it still minimizes the health downsides to smoking marijuana, which outweighs the harms of enforcing a prohibition. D: Marijuana is a good medicineOh yeah. Because inhaling carcinogens and getting lung cancer is a great way to treat the common cold. Please.So for those given refutations, I ask the voters disregard my opponent's case.Now, this is all just one interpretation of the resolution. My opponent stated the resolution as "Mary Jane should be legal". How I interpreted this is "A chick named Mary Jane should be legal". If we apply this to the resolution in the context my opponent wishes to apply, would we really want to burn this chick alive, inhale her, then exhale her like yesterday's bad fish sticks? http://www.thecampussocialite.com...Yeah, didn't think so.The next way we could interpret it is if legal meant....well...-ahem- "legal to do" if you get my drift. In which case, Mary Jane could represent either this personhttp://ididafunny.com...; Or this persons http://thumbs.dreamstime.com...Needless to say, neither should be legal to get the nasty on with.For the above reasons, I content that we negate the resolution. Sources will be in comments.