Medical Marijuana

IntroductionI would like to begin by thanking my opponent for his argument. I personally believe his case was weak. I intend to prove that in my rebuttals below. I hope the judges consider all of this information when choosing the winner. RebuttalsMy opponent begins by stating what medical marijuana can be used for, as I did. He quoted webmd.com, which said "cannabinoids in marijuana can weaken the immune system." The key word here is 'can'. It does not necessarily mean it will. Next, the source says, "long-term use of marijuana can make lung problems worse." Again, there is a key word that must be acknowledged: 'long-term'. Not all patients will take medical cannabis for the long-term. I do not believe this to be a sufficient argument against medical marijuana. Also, my opponent has chosen to ignore the fact that marijuana does not need to be smoked. It can be consumed by drinking, eating, injecting, et cetera. I hope my opponent acknowledges this and addresses this in his rebuttals. He also states potential side effects medical marijuana may cause. They are, according to his source, "[d]rowsiness, dry mouth, giddiness, hunger, insomnia, red eyes, respiratory issues, short-term memory loss, and uneasiness or anxiety." These side effects, when you truly think about it, are minor. I urge my opponent, the viewers, and the judges to compare the potential side effects of medical marijuana to its potential and highl likely benefits. My opponent states, "[a]s you can see, it can be used to help people, but the effects are not always the same. For some people, medical marijuana can cure seizures, while it may make the disorder worse for other people. Currently, marijuana has not been fully tested, which means it should not be used. Unstable drugs should not be used in people. One could argue that it is human experimentation, which is not legal. Doctors are not always aware of the side effects medicinal marijuana could have on people. It is different depending on the person." This statement and, really, my opponent's entire argument is not sufficient. I urge the viewers and judges to carefully consider this. My opponent makes arguments that are proven false by mine. I would like to point out an aspect of this debate he ignored fully. I said and sourced, "[m]arijuana has two main components: THC and CBD. CBD (cannabidiol) will reduce brain activity and will lower the occurances of seizures.THC is what causes one to be high. Breeding marijuana to have low THC and high CBD will be effective. This, along with other genetic modifications, will make marijuana a safe treatment. " My opponent fully ignored this statement. He has ignored the fact that marijuana can be bred to have certain traits. He is arguing about traditional marijuana while I am arguing about marijuana in general, whether it is traditional or bred. This one fact refutes his entire argument. I hope he and the judges acknowledge that. There is another aspect my opponent has chosen to ignore. I made the following statement: "One can easily be addicted to pills, tablets, serums, and other forms of medications, but medical marijuana is rarely a substance that is addicted to. I do not deny that marijuana, when used in a large amount, is damaging, but you are aware that medical marijuana overdoses and addictions are virtually unheard of, yes?" This means that traditional medicine may not be the best choice. This means that marijuana is a very, very safe alternative drug to treat certain conditions and diseases. This has been fully ignored by my opponent. I want him to address this in his refutations. My opponent states, "[i]n conclusion, medical marijuana is dangerous and has more bad side effects than good. This is why I do not support it. I hope my opponent can see that there are better ways to cure things than with cannabis." My opponent, again, ignored key aspects of my argument. For certain conditions, there are no successful treatments yet. Now, I adore science and I know a lot about it, so I do know that safer treatments will be found in the future. However, for now, marijuana is the safest alternative to addictive pills and tablets. ConclusionIn my opponent's rebuttals, I hope to see a sufficient defense of his arguments as well as relevant, factual refutations of my argument, which I do not believe he or anyone else can do. I do wish him good luck, but he will have to work hard in order to win this debate. Jamccartney is a very close friend of mine and I know him very well. He is a determined, intelligent individual. However, I do not believe he has shown this in this debate. I hope this changes. BibliographyI have no sources for this particular round. I believe my sources already are more reliable than my opponent's and I want the judges to consider this. Sources are not required here. Common sense and logic is one of the many weapons in my arsenal. I have facts - solid facts, which I have presented efficiently - that prove marijuana for medical purposes is beneficial. I do not require sources now.