Marijuana has more medical benefits than coffee.

Without really knowing how else to start this discussion, I suppose I can simply list some of the medical benefits marijuana has been proven to achieve. [[ Known Benefits of Medical Marijuana ]] * Lisa M. Eubanks, PhD, Staff Scientist at the Scripps Research Institute and the Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology notes, "THC and its analogues may provide an improved therapeutic for Alzheimer's disease [by] simultaneously treating both the symptoms and progression of Alzheimer's disease" [1] * The Journal of Neuroimmunology writes, "Cannabinoids can modulate both the function and secretion of cytokines [regulatory proteins] from immune cells. Therefore, cannabinoids may be considered for treatment of inflammatory disease" [2]. * Essentially I can go on like this extensively, providing source after source, as above, proving that marijuana has been known to help people with asthma (ironically enough), Chron's disease, epilepsy, glaucoma, cancer, HIV, hepatitis C, migraines, nausea, multiple sclerosis, tourettes, sleeping disorders and a slew of psychological conditions and personality disorders (such as aiding in depression, anxiety, etc.). Of course no medicine is universal. For instance penicillin is one of the most important medical breakthroughs of the 20th century, yet it is not equally effective on all people, and some are in fact allergic to it. However just because not everyone responds to the drug the same way does not negate any of the known benefits penicillin has been proven to have. The same concept applies to marijuana. Simply citing cases where marijuana hasn't worked does not negate all of the cases in which it's proven that it has. The main component in marijuana, THC, has an undeniable effect on the brain; for instance THC has been shown to reduce intraocular pressure which is why it aids those with glaucoma. Again just because not everyone experiences or utilizes the same benefits from marijuana doesn't negate the role that marijuana does play (medically beneficially) for some or most others. Additionally, while some people have the capacity to become mentally addicted to marijuana, that too does not negate any of its positive effects. [[ Harms and Risks of Marijuana vs. Coffee ]] For one thing, marijuana is barely physically addictive [3] while coffee is known to be physically addictive [4]. In most cases, physical addiction is almost always harder to overcome than mental ones, because physical dependence leads to tolerance, and tolerance leads to an inescapable, painful physical withdrawal [5]. Additionally, it only takes a small amount of coffee to start the physical addiction. Consuming as little as 100 milligrams of caffeine per day (about a half cup of coffee) can result in a physical dependence that results in withdrawal symptoms -- the hallmark of physically addictive products -- if discontinued [6]. In other words, caffeine - the most widespread drug addiction in America - is much easier to get hooked on than marijuana. It's also far easier and cheaper to fuel that addiction. Nevertheless, the gist of this argument will be that most of the harms associated with marijuana intake are those likened to smokers in general, including problems with the lungs, etc. Of course this can be avoided by either smoking marijuana through a vaporizer, or consuming it in baked goods (ingestion) making these problems moot. Also, I've already explained that even if marijuana were the most harmful drug in the world (which it's not; in fact far from it), it doesn't take away from the number and value of benefits of marijuana vs. the number and value of benefits from coffee. I must see what my opponent presents in favor of coffee having more medical benefits before I can continue, so I'll turn this debate back over to him for his opening round. Thanks again, Mirza, and good luck. [1] http://tinyurl.com... [2] http://tinyurl.com... [3] http://www.drugpolicy.org... [4] http://www.naturalnews.com... [5] http://tinyurl.com... [6] http://www.overcaffeinated.org...