Resolved: The Use of Marijuana for Recreational Purposes Should Be Prohibited

I will begin my first argument by discussing the negative effects of cannabis on its users. With this being said, I wish the best of luck to my opponent and am glad to actually be doing this debate. The Dangers of Marijuana on Its Users Marijuana has a variety harmful effects on its users. In this part of my argument, I will discuss the short- and long-term effects of using this drug. Some of the short-term effects of using marijuana include, but are not limited to, the "high" feeling, altered senses (e. g. seeing brighter colors), an altered sense of time, mood-swings, impaired body movement, difficulty with thinking and solving problems, and impaired memory. [1] Also, let it be known that hallucinations and anxiety/panic attacks can occur with short-term usage of marijuana if the dosage is high enough. [2] Some of the long-term effects of using marijuana include, but are not limited to, suppression of the immune system, reduction of male sex hormones, destruction of lung fibers and permanent brain damage, reduced sexual capacity, and severe mood-swings. [3] Clearly marijuana is too dangerous of a drug to be legalized for recreational purposes. Its effects can be long-lasting and severe. The Dangers of Marijuana on Others According to researchers at Columbia University, marijuana has contributed to 12% of traffic deaths in 2010. [4] In addition to this, according to Russia Today, marijuana-related deaths, school suspensions, traffic incidents, and poisonings have spiked in Colorado (a state which legalized the drug back in 2012). [5] Once again, we clearly should not legalized cannabis. It has been shown that legalizing marijuana for recreational purposes causes a spike in crime, traffic incidents, school suspensions, and more. Legalizing Marijuana for Recreational Purposes Has Failed in the Past I believe, the marijuana debate all boils down to one city: Amsterdam, Netherlands. This city is a popular tourist attraction (especially for marijuana-users), but has definitely seen better days before legalizing the drug. According to the Daily Mail, schools have been forced to ban smoking pot because there have been a significant number of students showing up to school high. [6] In addition, Amsterdam has seen higher crime near the coffeehouses which sell pot. [7] Conclusion I conclude in this first argument that marijuana is too dangerous for recreational purposes for three main reasons: it is harmful to its users, it's harmful to others, and legalizing it has not worked in the past. Footnotes 1. "Marijuana. " DrugFacts:. N. p. , n. d. Web. 09 Feb. 2016. 2. "Short and Long Term Effects. " Of Marijuana. N. p. , n. d. Web. 10 Feb. 2016. 3. "Short- & Long-Term Effects of Marijuana - Negative Side Effects of Weed - Drug-Free World. " Short- & Long-Term Effects of Marijuana - Negative Side Effects of Weed - Drug-Free World. N. p. , n. d. Web. 11 Feb. 2016. 4. Schmitz, Matt, Cars. com Chris Woodyard, and Usa Today. "Marijuana Playing Larger Role in Fatal Crashes. " USA Today. Gannett, 09 June 2014. Web. 11 Feb. 2016. 5. "Marijuana-related Deaths, Suspensions & Problems Spike in Colorado – Report. " RT International. N. p. , n. d. Web. 11 Feb. 2016. 6. . http://www.dailymail.co.uk... 7. . http://rightwingnews.com...