Joe Carey’s persuasive speech
Channel: Joseph Carey
Date: 2018-04-25

Persuasive Speech outline

SPCH 111                                                                                                    Joe Carey       Deb Lawson                                                                                                 04/24/18

Recreational Marijuana

I. Did you know that to this day, there have been no recorded deaths from an overdose on marijuana? 
Marijuana has not killed anyone, but alcohol kills 88,000 (https://marijuana.procon.org) people per year due to excessive use in the United States. Have you ever wondered why marijuana is illegal in some states of the United States, even though it is less harmful than other legal substances? Today I will show you facts about marijuana and tell you why it should be legal in the U.S.
Today I will talk about the myths of marijuana, the differences between marijuana and already legal substances, and the benefits marijuana brings to the states where it is already legal. 
I am giving this speech because I have done a lot of research on this subject and I find it unjust and unfair that marijuana still remains illegal to the federal government of the U.S.

II. Myths of marijuana
a. Statement: in order to decide whether it should be legal, you must know what is true and what is false.
b. Pot is addictive (9% become addicted) https://www.alternet.org/drugs/12-biggest-myths-about-marijuana-debunked 
i. 14% become addicted to alcohol
ii. 24% become addicted to tobacco
c. Pot smokers lack motivation
i. Marijuana is not tied with lack of motivation
ii. Marijuana makes you more creative and active
d. Marijuana is a gateway drug
i. Alcohol was used before trying hard drugs also
ii. Marijuana use increased, hard drug use decreased

III. Differences between marijuana and legal substances
a. Alcohol can quickly kill someone (88,000 per year)
i. Too much can shut down necessary parts of the brain
b. Marijuana increases heart rate and blood pressure
i. This cannot cause someone to die
c. Alcohol use increases chances of injury
i. 21% of all injuries are attributed with alcohol (https://www.mpp.org/marijuana-is-safer/)
d. lifetime marijuana use is rarely associated with hospital visits
e. Cigarettes cause an estimated 480,000 deaths per year (https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/health_effects/tobacco_related_mortality/index.htm)
f. Marijuana smoke can cause lung cancer
i. Less addictive and less harmful than tobacco smoke

IV. Benefits of legal marijuana
a. Creates jobs (18005 new jobs CO, added 2.4 billion to their eonomy https://thinkprogress.org/5-states-weighing-marijuana-legalization-would-reap-enormous-economic-benefits-study-suggests-cb06831d154b/)
i. Creates jobs and economic opportunities
ii. Cash crop
b. Save money
i. No action taken on people who smoke marijuana
ii. Taxes on marijuana 
c. Legalization helps us better understand its health effects
i. Help us with medicines and other benefits

V. Today we have looked at the benefits of recreational marijuana. We looked at the myths of marijuana, the differences between marijuana and legal substances, and the benefits of legalizing marijuana. 
I have showed you all the reasons why marijuana should be legal and I hope this speech has helped you see the good qualities of marijuana instead of just believing all of the myths. Marijuana should be legalized in the United States for many different reasons that I have just discussed.

References

Recreational Marijuana ProCon.org. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://marijuana.procon.org/


Poindexter, O. (n.d.). 12 of the Biggest Myths About Marijuana Debunked. Retrieved from https://www.alternet.org/drugs/12-biggest-myths-about-marijuana-debunked

Project, M. P. (n.d.). Marijuana Is Safer Than Alcohol: It's Time To Treat It That Way. Retrieved from https://www.mpp.org/marijuana-is-safer/

Smoking & Tobacco Use. (2017, May 15). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/health_effects/tobacco_related_mortality/index.htm

Marijuana's $2.4 billion impact in Colorado is a lesson for 5 states considering legalization. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://thinkprogress.org/5-states-weighing-marijuana-legalization-would-reap-enormous-economic-benefits-study-suggests-cb06831d154b/

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