Marijuana Legalization

I noted that nicotine is a drug in Round 2. Readers can affirm. Furthermore, the "facts" drudged up by my opponent regarding addictiveness vs tobacco cigarettes are flimsy or biased, as I have demonstrated previously. Marijuana abusers require rehabilitation; nicotine abusers only require the general deprivation of nicotine from the body. I will quickly take a moment to review: "It is widely known that tobacco smoke greatly increases risk of lung cancer and similar diseases but there is no evidence to support that is the same case with those who smoke pot. Studies have actually shown there is no increase of risk for such things in pot-smokers as opposed to the general population." [2] False. Research demonstrates that marijuana smoke contains more tar and more carcinogens and other cancer-causing chemicals than tobacco smoke. THC damages the heart and lungs. There are over four hundred chemicals to harm the body in marijuana. (1,2,3). "For example, the BLF's review of previous research highlights that just three marijuana joints a day causes the same damage to the lung's airways as 20 cigarettes, mainly because of the way joints are smoked." [2] As aforementioned, marijuana smokers inhale deeply and hold the chemicals in their lungs for extended periods of time. "To get the maximum effect, people who smoke marijuana often inhale more deeply and hold the smoke in their lungs longer than tobacco smokers do. This increases the risk of cancer." [1] Also, THC lingers in the body for weeks, causing structural damage, "If you smoke marijuana, the effects last for several hours. But the THC (the main active ingredient) is stored in your fat cells and can stay in your body for days or weeks!" [1] Furthermore, my opponent's round 1 proclamation regarding the various ways of applying marijuana is irrelevant; most addicts prefer smoking for faster and more potent affects. Once marijuana is legalized, it will stay legalized and smoking will be irrelevant. Other harmful effects: (Addiction): "Can you get addicted to marijuana? Yes, you can. Some people have a hard time quitting and have to find treatment." [1] "Marijuana is one of the most difficult drugs to give up." [4] Health: "Smoking marijuana irritates your lungs and has been linked to chronic cough and bronchitis. It may also make asthma worse." [1] "Large doses of marijuana can lead to "toxic psychosis." This can cause people to hallucinate (see or hear things that aren't really there), become paranoid (feel like people are out to get them) and believe things that aren't true. These symptoms usually disappear within a week after the person stops using marijuana." [1] " Marijuana affects your co-ordination and makes it harder to concentrate and react. This makes it dangerous to do things like ride a bicycle, drive a car or operate machinery." [1] "Marijuana users are 4 times more likely to develop depression." [4] "Marijuana almost triples the chance of developing psychotic symptoms. " [4] "There is a strong link between drug use and unsafe sex and the spread of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS." [5] "marijuana may cause the acceleration or aggravation of the very disorders it is being used to treat." [6] "...damage the cells in the bronchial passages which protect the body against inhaled micro-organisms and decrease the ability of the immune cells in the lungs to fight off fungi, bacteria, and tumor cells." [6] " The main respiratory consequences of smoking marijuana regularly (one joint a day) are pulmonary infections and respiratory cancer." [6] "marijuana is at the root of many mental disorders, including acute toxic psychosis, panic attacks (one of the very conditions it is being used experimentally to treat), flashbacks, delusions, depersonalization, hallucinations, paranoia, depression, and uncontrollable aggressiveness. Marijuana has long been known to trigger attacks of mental illness, such as bipolar (manic-depressive) psychosis and schizophrenia." [6] It also negatively affects the heart and its beating rate. Next, let's utilize some facts, "Almost half (44%) of Canadians say they have used marijuana at least once in their lifetime. In 2005, just over one-quarter (26.5%) of Ontario students (grades 7–12) said they had used marijuana in the past year, and one-third (31%) reported trying it at least once in their lifetime. Three per cent of Grade 7 students have tried marijuana in the past year. By the time they have reached Grade 12, nearly half (46%) of Ontario students have used marijuana in the past year. About one in eight students (12%) who use marijuana use it every day. This is about three per cent of all grade 7 to 12 students in Ontario (about 33,200 students)." [1] This is most alarming, and at a time when marijuana is illegal. Imagine how easily children will access marijuana if it is legal? And twelve percent of students are addicted in Canada! Now my opponent chose to use Amsterdam as an example of "Free drugs!" hip hip hoorah and we're still living. The real truth about Amsterdam and the Netherlands is that retailing marijuana in anything but a "coffee shop" is illegal. Furthermore, "Buying drugs on the street is about the biggest tourist trap in Amsterdam... From the first step out of the central station you will be offered drugs. Most of the time these offers will be in the form of a sort of whisper as you walk by a street dealer. They will say under their breath, "ecstasy - cocaine." Simply keep walking or shake you head from side to side... the stuff you get offered can contain anything from vitamin C to washing powder or rat poison. Also often the customer gets robbed or harassed. Again, don't buy drugs on the streets, there are other places where it's safer to buy." (8) "In the Netherlands 9.7% of young adults (aged 15–24) consume soft drugs once a month." (7) This indicates that the Netherlands is not successful in keeping marijuana from the hands of the young or the criminals. We will be no more successful, and it would be follysome to assume so. "Criminal investigations into more serious forms of organized crime mainly involve drugs (72%). Most of these are investigations of hard drug crime (specifically cocaine and synthetic drugs) although the number of soft drug cases is rising and currently accounts for 69% of criminal investigations." [7] Once again, even though there are legal vendors, The Netherlands experiences a great deal of crime revolving drugs - the criminals won't let it go. "You post an argument without backing it up with any facts; your argument is dismissed." I've already indicated that marijuana is a "stepping stone drug". (9,10) My opponent proclaims that I'm jesting about my assertions on the drug war. Obviously he doesn't have a definitive grasp on the issue. Poppy fields are the prime export of Afghanistan. Remind me what poppy seeds are used for, will you readers? Remind me about the Heroin abundance in Columbia and Guatemala supplying nearly 75% of the USA's cocaine. (11) My opponent asserts, "Obvious medical purposes" of which there aren't any that don't involve trivial symptoms. Disclaimer: I was insulting nobody. Thanks 1. http://www.camh.net... 2. http://www.newscientist.com... 3. http://news.bbc.co.uk... 4. http://www.addictionsandrecovery.org... 5. alcoholism.about.com/cs/pot/f/mjp_faq12.htm 6. http://cyber.law.harvard.edu... 7. http://en.wikipedia.org... 8. http://www.world66.com... 9. http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org... 10. http://www.druglibrary.org...