Question: Should marijuana be a medical option?

Title: Medical Marijuana should be a legal option Content: I challenge my opponent to debate the merits or lack thereof of medical marijuana. I believe that Medical Marijuana should be legal because it has been proven to have medical benefits and relieve pain. It is less addictive and has less severe side effects than many of the opiates currently prescribed for pain. Making medical marijuana illegal could therefore be detrimental to therapy fro people suffering from sever diseases. I await your response and f

Title: Medical Marijuana should be a legal option Content: 1. Proven Medical Benefits There are many who say that there are many proven medical benefits to smoking or otherwise ingesting marijuana. First off, I would like to ask my opponent to cite a source saying, and proving, the medical benefits of medical marijuana. I have a source that says the following, "There is plenty of evidence to show that marijuana can help people cope with a variety of diseases," Of course it can help people cope with diseases. If I took cocaine, the same effect would happen, in fact I might forget that I even had a disease. Being able to help people cope is no reason to legalize marijuana for medical use. The same source goes on to say, "That said, medical marijuana is not right for every patient. Nor is it even the first drug of choice,". Not even the first choice. Medical marijuana would not replace current medical practices, it would only supplement them. The legalization of medical marijuana is bad for many reasons, which brings me to my next point. . http://www.post-gazette.com... 2. Ill Effects of Ingesting Marijuana The Office of Drug Control Policy says the following, "Marijuana use is associated with dependence, respiratory and mental illness, poor motor performance, and impaired cognitive and immune system functioning, among other negative effects. Marijuana intoxication can cause distorted perceptions, difficulty in thinking and problem solving, and problems with learning and memory. Studies have shown an association between chronic marijuana use and increased rates of anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, and schizophrenia. Other research has shown marijuana smoke to contain carcinogens and to be an irritant to the lungs. Marijuana smoke, in fact, contains 50‐70 percent more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than does tobacco smoke," This goes to show why any use of marijuana, even for medical uses, is a bad thing for the health of any users. If marijuana for medical purposes was legalized, it would harm many more people than it would help. Is forgetting about your pain through smoking a joint worth it if you can get schizophrenia from smoking it? Or any other medical complication? No, its not worth it, and that is why medical marijuana should not be a legal option. . http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov... In conclusion, I have yet to see a source that legitimately proves the benefits of medical marijuana. Not only is there a lack of health benefits from ingesting it, but there are serious medical issues that could result from ingesting the drug.

Title: Medical Marijuana should be a legal option Content: My opponent chastised me for mentioning other drugs when the debate is on marijuana, but I was merely pointing out the inconsistencies in our drug laws. Furthermore, he goes on to cite the smoking baby, and since he is addicted to regular cigarettes and not marijuana that too would not be relevant to the debate at hand. "Yes, many drugs on t. v. list a long list of side effects, but one must take into account that those warnings are for legal purposes so that no one can sue the drug company for getting nauseous when taking the drug. " Yes, and the same such warnings may apply to marijuana for legal reasons, that does not prove that it is so much worse for you. "Same thing with drinking alcohol and then driving. Thats illegal, but people do it none the less. Legalizing marijuana would allow people to do things while under the influence of THC, and that puts the rest of us at risk. " Yes, exactly, that just reinforces what I was saying that you responded to. Any time we discuss drugs we must weigh the benefits against the risks. There are some in the medical community who promote marijuana as an effective treatment option. [1] You mention how marijuana is not for everyone, and it is not the first choice. That may be true, however, that does not mean it is not a choice at all. It works for some people where other drugs have failed. If you are concerned with the risk of abuse, dispensaries can have the same oversight as any pharmacy. [2] According to many experts, if a lethal dose of marijuana exists it is almost impossible to attain, as opposed to other drugs which can be quite easy to Overdose on even accidentally. [3] Thanks again to my opponent and I would look forward to his conclusion. 1 . http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org... 2 . http://www.lansingstatejournal.com... 3 . http://www.druglibrary.org...

Title: Medical Marijuana Content: I accept

Title: Should marijuana be legalized for medical purposes Content: I maintain my position

Title: Medical marijuana should be legal Content: Winning.

Title: Medical Marijuana should be a legal option Content: First of all my opponent points to where his source says "medical marijuana is not right for every patient. " If you have ever seen a drug commercial on TV they say that about just about everything, while they are listing off the long list of side effects. Morphine is a drug often prescribed as an anesthetic or painkiller, yet it has worse side effects than marijuana and is more addictive and is an opiate. [1] [2] [3] There are proven benefits with less problems. [4] [5] It helps with cancer and is less devastating to health than chemo. [6] " Marijuana intoxication can cause distorted perceptions, difficulty in thinking and problem solving, and problems with learning and memory. " Which is why people taking it shouldn't be allowed to drive or do certain tasks that require high levels of motor skills, just like some other drugs. "Studies have shown an association between chronic marijuana use and increased rates of anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, and schizophrenia. " This is also true of many antidepressants when prescribed to teenagers. Other research has shown marijuana smoke to contain carcinogens and to be an irritant to the lungs. Marijuana smoke, in fact, contains 50‐70 percent more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than does tobacco smoke" There are other ways to ingest marijuana rather than just smoking it. For consistency, if we were going to make marijuana illegal for medical purposes shouldn't opiates such as morphine and oxycodone and codeine also be illegal even as prescriptions? I thank my opponent and look forward to the next round. 1 . http://www.softlandingrecovery.com... 2 . http://www.ch.ic.ac.uk... 3 . http://www.kstatecollegian.com... 4 . http://www.thenewstribune.com... 5 . http://news.google.com... 6 . http://www.kxly.com...

Title: Medical Marijuana Content: Should medical marijuana be legal or no?

Title: Medical Marijuana Content: Finally!

Title: Medical Marijuana should be a legal option Content: "If you have ever seen a drug commercial on TV they say that about just about everything, while they are listing off the long list of side effects. Morphine is a drug often prescribed as an anesthetic or painkiller, yet it has worse side effects than marijuana and is more addictive and is an opiate. " --- Yes, many drugs on t. v. list a long list of side effects, but one must take into account that those warnings are for legal purposes so that no one can sue the drug company for getting nauseous when taking the drug. Marijuana has a much greater statistic of harming a person taking it than if one was to take another legal drug. Also, morphine is an addictive drug, but we are not arguing the merits of morphine. I ask that my opponent drop this point, as there are many drugs that are perscribed that are not as addictive as marijuana or opiates. "There are proven benefits with less problems. [4] [5] It helps with cancer and is less devastating to health than chemo. [6]" -In source 4, the author never lists the benefits, and in source 5 the person asking the question suggested the benefits of marijuana, marijuana was not suggested. In the same source, the person answering the question said that it was highly controversial. In source 6, it was a nice story, but what about lond term side effects? My second source says that there are long term side effects to this addictive drug, and whos to say that the kid will not grow up an addict? There are many cases in which a child is given a drug that he or she quickly becomes addicted to. . http://www.break.com... "Which is why people taking it shouldn't be allowed to drive or do certain tasks that require high levels of motor skills, just like some other drugs. " -Same thing with drinking alcoholand then driving. Thats illegal, but people do it none the less. Legalizing marijuana would allow people to do things while under the influence of THC, and that puts the rest of us at risk. "There are other ways to ingest marijuana rather than just smoking it. " -Yes, I know. But that was listed as a method in my source, and I support it still. Any way one ingests marijuna is bad. "For consistency, if we were going to make marijuana illegal for medical purposes shouldn't opiates such as morphine and oxycodone and codeine also be illegal even as prescriptions? " -Totally agree with you on this one, but this debate is about marijuna, not opiates.

Title: Medical marijuana should be legal Content: I concur to the terms.

Title: Medical marijuana should be legal Content: Medical marijuana hasn't been proven to help any otherwise treatable disease, and is pointless really. Marijuana also disconnects you from the outside world and is a depressant (Like alcohol) which makes you relaxed and not wanting to do anything, not wanting to get the treatment either. The proper treatment.

Title: Medical Cannabis Content: I completely disagree with making the decision to make marijuana a legal medication. Yes, it does have many benefits as a medical drug. However this can also be labeled as a mind controlling substance. There are different types of cannabis and not all strains are actually used for medical purposes. I believe marijuana should remain under strict watch among doctors, distributors and health professionals. I must also add the criminal and violence aspect of this as well. U.S citizens aren't out causing voilence over tylenol or aspirins. But there are infact doing so over this cannabis, as it is my literal definition of a "drug". I would not stand firm and call this a "medicine" or "medication".

Title: Medical Marijuana Content: Marijuana should be legal for medical purposes, because it has been shown to be an effective pain reliever, and is less harmful to the liver than most other prescription painkillers. Especially in the case of those who are terminally ill, the negative effects of the drug are insignificant when compared to the improved quality of life it provides to suffering patients. It can likewise reduce the anxiety of the patient during severe medical procedures, and again this is further the case in terminal patients. Severe anxiety has been shown to have immediate detrimental affects on the body, and can complicate some medical procedures. Having yet another option that a doctor may, but need not necessarily prescribe or utilize, only adds more options for the medical system to serve patients. This is not to say that it necessarily should be available for the general public, but certainly for medical usage, as prescribed by licensed doctors, it has a utility that outweighs any possible negatives in many situations.

Title: Should Medical Marijuana Be Legal Content: I believe that medical marijuana should be legal. Marijuana is customarily known as a street drug, but in recent years it has gained its credibility as a medication to treat chronic pain and sooth side effects of chemotherapy for cancer. Already 72% of doctors support medical marijuana. Cancer patients had positive feedback when they tried medical marijuana. They said things like "It made me feel like I had an appetite for the first time in probably six months". For the people who benefit from medical marijuana should not be criminalized. Current remedies for pain like Vicodin and Percocet are far more addictive and dangerous. In states where medical marijuana is legalized, doctors have seen a decline in opioid abuse. Making sure people actually need marijuana for medical use and are using it solely for that is where there is a valuable argument. Regulations and government involvement would need to be necessary as with any drug. This also opens up a new industry that could be profitable. There are many ways to consume marijuana than to just smoke it, which is safer to for your lungs. It is unfair to compare the legalization of the medical and recreational use of marijuana, it is a different debate as a whole. The legalization of medical marijuana could steer away from the abuse of opioids and give patients a new way of treatment that has been proven to be effective. It could also change the perception of the drug from a street drug to a medication.

Title: Medical Marijuana Content: Pro will argue that Marijuana has several useful medical purposes for treating diseases such as Glaucoma and HIV/AIDS. Con will argue that marijuana has no such uses. Medical Marijuana: Medical cannabis (also referred to as medical marijuana) is the use of cannabis and its constituent cannabinoids such as THC as a physician-recommended form of medicine or herbal therapy. . http://en.wikipedia.org...

Title: Medical cannabis Content: Look at this from a different point of view. In your argument you stated "Medical cannabis has been used in easing symptoms of cancer and many other illnesses" There are many other medications that are being developed and have been developed for quite some time that have effects similar to the effects of cannabis without the risk of being used for the wrong purposes. In many cases the use of medical marijuana is abused by the patient who requested it, they over exaggerate the pain that they are in, it results in a more medication then they would need. "Medical cannabis can avoid misuse with appropriate tests and papers" This is not always true as the illness is not always well known and there is little research out for it, sometimes patients request more than is necessary. Medical marijuana is also very expensive and is not always covered by insurance companies. In short marijuana is pointless and not necessary for pain relief. In the least the only thing it would be good for is a substitute for other drugs out there that are better known and are more efficient pain relievers.

Title: Medical Marijuana Content: Although marijuana has been proven as a alternative to treating cancer, it is still a dangerous drug. There are other medical options that have the same effect on cancer patients without being as dangerous. Different medicines can diminish pain and cause relief without having as dangerous side effects.

Title: Marijuana should be legal for medical purposes. Content: It will not be an issue. Secondly, I would like to begin with stating my arguments and reasons. Because this is not the round for rebuttals, I will not talk about Pro's main argument until round 3. Arguments Facts about medical marijuana: Medical marijuana can be used to reduce nausea and vomiting, treating HIV/AIDS, and reducing muscle pain (Wikipedia). It can also prevent epilepsy. However, it works "by binding to specific sites in the brain and on the nerves (WEBMD). " All chemicals that bind to the brain are dangerous. Here are it's uses: Improving appetite for people with AIDS Glaucoma Multiple Sclerosis Why it should not be used: According to webmd. com, "cannabinoids in marijuana can weaken the immune system", "long-term use of marijuana can make lung problems worse", "marijuana might make seizure disorders worse in some people [(in other people it might help to control seizures)]", and "it might slow the central nervous system too much when combined with anesthesia and other medications during and after surgery (WEBMD). " Here are some other common side effects of using marijuana for medicinal purposes: Drowsiness, dry mouth, giddiness, hunger, insomnia, red eyes, respiratory issues, short-term memory loss, and uneasiness or anxiety (Southwest Medical Evaluation Center). As 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. Other treatments: Anyone who knows as much as I do about biology knows that there are plenty of other ways to cure illnesses. I am sure Pro is aware of this as well. For certain diseases, such as diabetes, people need insulin. Getting insulin used to be difficult. Now, however, we genetically altered a certain bacteria to generate it. Using that knowledge, one can assume that there are other cures to epilepsy, glaucoma, and sclerosis. Conclusion In this round, I have stated the pros and cons to medical marijuana. As Pro, as well as the viewers can see, there are more downsides to it that upsides. The list of cons is longer and the alternative cures are obvious. Here is my conclusion: Using marijuana for medicinal use is unnecessary and should not be done. I patiently await Pro's rebuttals. Thank you. MLA Citations "Medical Cannabis. " Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 03 Dec. 2014. Web. 13 Mar. 2014. <. http://en.wikipedia.org...;. "MARIJUANA: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions and Warnings - WebMD. " WebMD. WebMD. Web. 13 Mar. 2014. <. http://www.webmd.com...;. "Medical Marijuana Side Effects - Effects of Medical Marijuana. " Medical Marijuana Side Effects - Effects of Medical Marijuana. Web. 14 Mar. 2014. <. http://www.evaluationtoday.com...;.

Title: Medical Marijuana Content: Medical Marijuana should be legal in all states because trying to only provide it to clients and not a regular citizen creates more problems in society. A majority of marijuana users find themselves abusing it more than using it as a prescription. It is nearly impossible to keep it only for clients, so why make the job harder for the police departments and try to arrest anyone who carries marijuana. Marijuana is not a serious drug and does not make anyone become violent, yet this generation acts as though it is a crime to enjoy your own free time and relaxing to a natural plant that grows from this earth. What one person is doing to de-stress should not bother anyone else. Although it is rare to hear about someone using medical marijuana for it's main purpose (easing of pain/illness). In 2010, researchers at Harvard Medical School suggested that that some of the drug's benefits may actually be from reduced anxiety, which would improve the smoker's mood. Although some may say that medical marijuana does more harm than it does good, there is plenty of evidence to counteract this. In addition to Medical Marijuana helping to prevent seizures, it can also help to stop cancer cells from spreading. According to an article written by Kevin Loria and Jennifer Welsh, "Cannabinoids like the active ingredients in marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol (also known as THC), control seizures by binding to the brain cells responsible for controlling excitability and regulating relaxation." Loria and Welsh go on to claim that "CBD may also help prevent cancer from spreading, researchers at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco reported in 2007."

Title: Medical Marijuana Should Not Be Legalized. Content: Arguments Extended.

Title: Medical Marijuana Content: Medical Marijuana is Marijuana and would therefore be considered as a potential drug which can not only cause addiction but also create unwanted side effects. As my opponent previously stated, Medical Marijuana can be used as a treatment for cancer and neurological disorders. However, the way in which Marijuana actually treats these symptoms should be considered. Marijuana, according to most websites, stimulate and then muffle the nervous system in such a way that the human body is no longer concerned with the disorder but rather feel the need for more Marijuana. This its self is addiction. Therefore, we can conclude that although Marijuana can treat symptoms, it does so in a dangerous way which creates more side-effects than results.

Title: Medical marijuana should be legal Content: I apologise to my opponent for the delay in getting this up, and for the abbreviated nature of this argument. Recently, my country legalised medicinal cannabis use (http://en.wikipedia.org...). Since then, we haven't had any significant cases of abuse. Our insurance costs have not skyrocketed, and niether have our taxes. We are not a destination for drug tourism, and we have not undermined our anti-cannabis stance in wider society. When people take medicinal cannabis, their doctors first assess their condition. The doctor's "do no harm" mantra prohibits them from proscribing anything that is significantly harmful for the patient. Obviously, most if not all medicines have side effects, but we allow doctors to assess what will work best for the patient because they - not the government - are the ones who know the medicine best. Ultimately we leave the decision down to the patient when a range of options are available for the same reason. To presume that some government buraeucrats have a better understanding of each patient's individual condition (if you will excuse my RoyLatham-esque expression), and thus what treatments should be available, is to undermine the entire healthcare system. Healthcare is a personal thing. Our right to life confers a responsibility for it, and our responsibility for our life empowers us to choose what medicine we take. We make exceptions in various circumstances - for young children, for instance, and for mentally impaired people who cannot understand what is involved with these decisions - but in general the rule is that illness does not rob us of our general autonomy, but rather extends it. It allows us access to public facilities, such as hospitals, just as it opens up access to prescription drugs, for the simple reason that we cannot make a choice when certain choices are prohibited. As a principle, we feel it is entirely consistant with the role of the healthcare system to legalise cannabis. You can't make a full medical choice when certain medical options, endorsed by many scientists globally, are not available to you. For instance, cannabis causes pain relief. It would be a mistake to assume that cannabis is not the right pain reliever for anybody. That's why the choice must be available, in these kinds of difficult medical situations, not narrowed down to a few government-approved alternatives. I personally do not believe there is any evidence cannabis cures anything, or has any helpful effect beyond suppression of symptoms (such as pain). However, since doctors will not have the prescribed the medicine in any situation where it would be harmful, the cannabis would never be used when it is harmful to the patient's health. Since a person who's in hospital all the time undergoing chemo is not exactly going to be drug driving or doing property crime, there's no harm to the public either. Furthermore, research on cannabis is still ongoing. Perhaps it has some helpful effect that science has not yet isolated. It must be the patient, informed by the advice of their medical professional, who makes that decision, not me, because I have no responsibility for their health. My contention is that it should be on the basis of harms to the patient, not the benefits to the patient, that medicine is administered. We already accept the principal that the relative value of benefits must be decided by the patient because we allow patients to refuse treatment. Since cannabis has no real harms when administered in the right way under proper, doctor-specified and recommended conditions, as and when appropriate, there is nothing wrong with medicinal cannabis legalisation. We do not ban the use of placebos if patients want to take them voluntarily. Patients can, if they so wish, hug a teddy bear instead of undergoing chemotherapy and pray to God to remove the desease. These are examples of placebos, and they confer no benefits, nor do they have any particular harms. Cannabis can, under most circumstances, fall in the same category. In the remainder of circumstances, doctors will intervene. As can be shown with countries where it has been legalised, such as New Zealand, this does not translate into a broader problem for society. If you don't accept medicinal marijuana, then as a principle, you deny patient autonomy. You limit the scope of healthcare. But what is of greater value than human life? Even if cannabis has few, if any, beneficial effects, that is no grounds for banning it as a choice. That is why we need to legalise cannabis for medicinal use.

Title: Marijuana should be legalized and should be taken seriously as a medicine. Content: Marijuana was found in a student's locker. His whole family was deported. He committed suicide. My attorneys have reviewed my prediclement and have advised: (2) A negative may choose a third option and argue both alternatives provided by the resolution. This is a good rule. It makes better debates. This is a good application of that rule. It allows many facets of a complex issue to be presented without worrying about details like are they pro or con. It also allows myths to be addressed effectively by both parties. Attorneys should have that option also and the courts would clear out their backlogs in no time and there would be no attorneys. The AMA says there is no medical use for MJ. It's illegal everywhere on Earth except at the bottom of the ocean and in orbit so how can it be good? There's not much corruption caused by MJ prohibition since MJ laws are fairly enforced and corruption is a good thing anyway. It provides jobs and that is important. Drug testing is big business. It's done by probably the same people that run private prisons so that cuts out the middle man. The private prisons have much better opportunities for escape since they want you to come back and bring all your friends because that is big profits. Some jail time is good anyway because you can meet lots of new contacts and growers there and lots of other drugs too. If those loadies would learn their lesson but they will just go back and smoke it again. They are no good for the Army and they can't hold a job so that difference does it make that they now have a felony record? In fact that makes it easier to score. Families get tired of one another and it is a good thing for some of them to go to jail once in a while. These prisons, especially private prisons, are just making the problem worse and so that is why we must build more of them. They don't cost very much anyway and are a real good investment in a time of economic crisis since they reduce the unemployment rate. The issue of what drugs Joyce's grandchildren should or should not get is beyond the scope of this debate. Well if you are going to kill your family anyway just have a candy bar first, it will be a lot better defense than the Muggles Defense. Now we know the dog is a natural high and is going to end up killing everybody. I reefer to "Mr. Muggles", the pet pomeranian of the Bennet family in the NBC drama "Heroes." He will be going postal in an upcoming episode. I can't say any more. http://www.erowid.org... Yes but weed in the National Forest is a victory nonetheless. They have to eradicate it anyway. It's the law. Pretty soon it'll be the National Parking Lot and the only thing that will grow there is weed. In fact why don't we just GE a virus to kill all the plants except cannabis. That'll show them. High-mountain Michoachan or Oaxacan is the best of the brickweed. If you are buying BC bud in New York you are paying way too much for it. A better deal is to trade your cocaine for it, as the movie http://www.AGrowthIndustry.info... points out; that's worth a lot more in BC. Vaporizers are a great help for COPD. http://www.hippy.com... If cannabis were made legal in the U.S. everyone would move here. Joyce's grandchildren are selling drugs and she is just protecting their territory. In fact this proves that pot turns you into a pedophile. If they would legalize cannabis, loadies wouldn't have to hang out at the middle school to score. Joyce's children also are still in school. They have joined SSDP and she has disowned them and narked on them. They are now serving multiple life terms so it is the prison school which does not have an SSDP chapter but it sure has drugs so others in SSDP will carry on, bringing drugs to Joyce's grandchildren. What are her children doing having children while they are still in school? I'll bet SSDP is at the bottom of this. SSDP is a giant drug cartel. That is the only explanation. Where else would Joyce's grandchildren be getting the stuff? If cannabia were legalized Joyce's grandchildren would be out of business. Now that we can see her agenda it is much easier to counter. Joyce's grandchildren will soon be dealing crack and will lose interest in weed since we all know that MJ is a gateway drug. Have you talked to your parents about Joyce Nalepka? http://daregeneration.blogspot.com... http://www.highbeam.com... Her rationale for student drug testing was to save kids' lives and reduce drug-related school problems. But student drug testing is most likely to detect MJ since it stays in the system the longest. And MJ has no harmful effects except it makes you want to kill your family. http://www.erowid.org... So the student drug testing will not contribute to safety at all anyway since the students' families do not attend school. This is a call-in show so let's have some questions and comments in the comments. What is my opponent doing in his picture? I have ten hours and three KB left so let the ranting begin. Serious debaters make jokes about online debating and for good reason. Our educational system, inter alia, is in a shambles. Inter alia means among others such as justice. To use their jargon, the provision of open courseware by utilizing distance technology. Every class should be a debating class. http://www.finitesite.com... http://www.debate.org... We need to get our debating together.

Title: Marijuana ought to be legalized Content: I thank Con for their response. I will attempt to negate my opponents points. Your negation of my contention of Medical marijuana was that of "I acknowledge that Marijuana has specific medical benefits. However, this does not require that Marijuana be legalized for public use. Heroin and opium also have specific medical benefits, and are used today. I wouldn't't want marijuana intended for a specific medical effect to leave the hospital any more than I would want morphine to roam the streets." The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, otherwise known as the FDA, could easily control the usage of marijuana if it was legalized. Your first objection to my second contention were that of the military has access to certain things that the general public does not. Well, you could extend this access to certain justice and crime associations, such as the CIA or the FBI, which could be used to allow the pain reliving effects of those groups. Your second objection to my second contention was that of there are better alternatives for pain killer which have less side effects. Marijuana has a greater effectiveness as a pain killer than most other pain killers. Wars may produce a near death injury, while allowing the use of marijuana as a pain killer, can allow the pain to be eliminated near instantly. Your third contention stated attempted to show that certain drugs are less harmful than marijuana. According to NORML, " In fact, the most recent studies have tended to confirm marijuana's safety, refuting claims that it causes birth defects, brain damage, reduced testosterone, or increased drug abuse problems." In refute of the THC spray, I doubt the majority of users of marijuana have discovered said THC spray. Users may also prefer actual marijuana experience over the THC spray. (1)http://norml.org... (2)http://www.annieappleseedproject.org... (3)http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu...

Title: Medical Marijuana Content: Medical Marijuana has been clearly demonstrated by many studies to be a safe non-toxic medicine, useful in the treatment of some of our most disabling medical conditions including multiple AIDS, cancer, chronic pain, glaucoma, etc.

Title: Resolved: The United States Federal Government Should Legalize Medical Marijuana. Content: This round dosen't call for rebuttals, so I will now state my case. Resolved: The United States Federal Government should legalize Medical Marijuana. As Pro, I will be giving the voters substantial arguments and proof that Medical Marijuana does more good than bad. In my argument, we will not only look at the medical aspect, but how Medical Marijuana helps the economy. C.1 Health Benefits of Medical Marijuana There are many ill and terminally ill people in this world. Allot of them suffer due to the lack of money to buy proper medication in which they need, because prescriptions can be pretty costly. As stated in my definition of Medical Marijuana (Marijuana used to relieve pain and treat disease.) It has been proven that Medical Marijuana can relieve pain. Chronic Nerve Pain According to WebMD (A medical website)A Canadian team has found that [1] " Three puffs a day of cannabis, better known as marijuana, helps people with chronic nerve pain due to injury or surgery feel less pain and sleep better" You are probably thinking this may be some made up scenario, but it's not. According to Mare Ware a M.D, he states [1] "About 10% to 15% of patients attending a chronic pain clinic use cannabis as part of their pain [control] strategy" Not only did he give us this information, but he also conducted a test on 21 men & women (average age 45) who suffer from chronic pain. He found that: [1] After each of the five-day trials, participants rated their pain on a scale of zero to 10, with 10 being the worst. The highest dose, 9.4%, provided relief, Ware says. "They reduced their pain down to 5.4," Ware says. "Those on placebo were at 6.1." Although that difference may seem modest, 'any reduction in pain is important," Ware says. The concentration of 9.4%, Ware says, is lower than that found in marijuana on the street. "On the street, it's 10% to 15% THC, more or less," he says. "We've shown again that cannabis is analgesic," Ware says. "Clearly, it has medical value." Side effects were reported, including headache, dry eyes, numbness, cough, and a burning sensation in the area with pain. The cannabis relieves pain, Ware says, by 'changing the way the nerves function." As you can read by the definition, Medical Marijuana can be used to relieve pain. Here is proof that is does actually lessen the pain with those who suffer chronic nerve pain. Cancer Medical Marijuana has also been proven to either 1. Cure some types of cancer 2.Slow down the caner or 3.Relive pain and nausea caused by chemotherapy. Don't just take my word for it though. According to Canger.org, Medical Marijuana is actually beneficial and helpful to cancer patients. [2] There are 2 chemically pure drugs based on marijuana compounds that have been approved in the US for medical use. Dronabinol (Marinol®)" is a gelatin capsule containing delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) that’s approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat nausea and vomiting caused by cancer chemotherapy as well as weight loss and poor appetite in patients with AIDS......Based on a number of studies, dronabinol can be helpful for reducing nausea and vomiting linked to chemotherapy." "Dronabinol has also been found to help improve food intake and prevent weight loss in patients with HIV. In studies of cancer patients, though, it wasn’t better than placebo or another drug (megestrol acetate)." "Nabiximols has shown promise for helping people with cancer pain that’s unrelieved by strong pain medicines, but it hasn’t been found to be helpful in every study done. Research is still being done on this drug." As you can see, Medical Marijuana helps reduce symptoms of cancer. We all know that chemotherapy is a dreadful process and tends to make the patient even sicker. Medical Marijuana can only help these people who suffer with these symptoms, so what's the harm in that? [2] So, how can How can marijuana affect symptoms of cancer? "A number of small studies of smoked marijuana found that it can be helpful in treating nausea and vomiting from cancer chemotherapy." "A few studies have found that inhaled (smoked or vaporized) marijuana can be helpful treatment of neuropathic pain (pain caused by damaged nerves)." "Smoked marijuana has also helped improve food intake in HIV patients in studies." "There are no studies in people of the effects of marijuana oil or hemp oil." "Studies have long shown that people who took marijuana extracts in clinical trials tended to need less pain medicine." "More recently, scientists reported that THC and other cannabinoids such as CBD slow growth and/or cause death in certain types of cancer cells growing in laboratory dishes. Some animal studies also suggest certain cannabinoids may slow growth and reduce spread of some forms of cancer. " So why shouldn't we legalize it when it's been shown to comfort people with deadly diseases? I mean even the Cancer foundation even recognizes it as a humongous help because it can kill cancer, slow it down, and most importantly, comfort and relive pain of the patient. Now that we have focused some on the medical aspects, let's take a look at how Medical Marijuana can boost the economy. How Medical Marijuana is beneficial to the economy. So, it may be hard to believe, but Medical Marijuana can help and boost the economy. [3]https://halcyonorganics.com... -Increase Revenues Without Tax Increases- "Cannabis is a $25+ billion dollar industry. Currently, all of those revenues go directly to cartels and criminal gangs. Through regulation and taxation, we can transform these black market billions into taxable revenues. This new income can bolster our state economy without raising taxes on main street." Decrease Government Spending "Cannabis prohibition is expensive. Harvard economist, Jeffrey Miron, estimates that state and federal governments spend an excess of $20 billion per year fighting this little green plant. Much of this cost comes from burdening our justice system, wasting law enforcement’s time, and using $125/day of taxpayer money incarcerating cannabis offenders. To add insult to injury, these efforts continue to fail as cannabis is more available than ever before." Fortify Infrastructure and Social Programs "Applying the increased revenues with the decreased expenses caused by medical cannabis legalization yields a net gain in the billions. This ‘new’ money can be used to fortify our many distressed and underfunded public works programs like the lagging education system, build new roads that reduce traffic and increase Social Security and Medicare benefits for our seniors." Weaken Criminal Organizations "How do gangs and cartels have the same weapons that our military uses? Why do drug dealers drive $100,000 cars? Because selling illicit drugs is a wildly lucrative and untaxed business. Legalizing and regulating medical cannabis will take this profit center away from murderous criminals and transfer it to licensed and regulated businesses. By taking these revenues from organized crime, we can significantly weaken them financially. Additionally, we will be able to control how and to whom medical cannabis is dispensed by setting responsible standards to which businesses must adhere. Liquor stores ID customers, drug dealers do not." As you can see, legalizing Medical Marijuana will not only help those who suffer from illness, but it also helps boost the economy. It's quiet clear that the positive, outweighs the harm. Sources [1] http://www.webmd.com... [2] http://www.cancer.org... [3] https://halcyonorganics.com...

Title: Marijuana Should Be Legal For Medicinal Purposes Content: I urge that the votes be mindful of the arguments presented in this round. First, my opponent outlines in his first round of debate that he intends to uphold two areas contention to warrant a vote for the Pro. The medical Benefits of marijuana and the safety of marijuana. The second point of contention, the safety of marijuana, has has since been dropped; my opponent recognizes that there are explicit negative impacts to marijuana and that it is not a wholly safe drug as he originally claimed This drop, signified by the drop of the alcohol and tobacco argument is the first reason to vote Con. Next, In my opponent's constructive to this debate he outlines four areas of suggested medical benefit that result for the usage of medical marijuana. These four areas are: Cancer, Alzheimers, MS and Arthritis. These are the only medical benefits that should be considered as any other medical benefits would have been new arguments; however in warrant these argument he cites only Business Insider and HowStuffWorks until the previous last round. The means that the 'chronic pain' and 'other benefits' voter my opponent offers are illegitimate and should be stricken from the flow. The Business Insider article expressly details that for Cancer, Alzeimers, MS and Arthritis marijuana serves as an anesthetic only, not attacking the core problems associated with this disease. As cited from MD Dr. Mbakwe in round 3, "Dr. Mbakwe is uncomfortable with the lack of control and regulation of medicinal marijuana. She says other medications, like methotrexate, treat the autoimmune disease at the root of the problem, and in turn can control pain and inflammation in combination with pain medications like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs . .. On the other hand, while marijuana may help with pain symptoms, it does nothing for the disease progression or organ damage, Dr. Mbakwe says. [16]" Marijuana only relieves pain while causing substantial damage to vital organs. Marijuana is not a sustainable treatment as there are a number of viable alternative for anesthetic relief. These alternatives include Propofol[5], Halothane[6] and Enflurane[7], none of which have the same negative-effects of marijuana. This argument was never addressed. In round 4 my opponent expands the benefits of medical marijuana in treating breast cancer through the use of Cannabidol, but I show in round 3 that it only helps breast cancer and second that it can be produced artificially. "[15]Clinically, there are still limited therapeutic interventions for aggressive and metastatic breast cancers available. Clearly, effective and nontoxic therapies are urgently required. Id-1, an inhibitor of basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors, has recently been shown to be a key regulator of the metastatic potential of breast and additional cancers. Using a mouse model, we previously determined that metastatic breast cancer cells became significantly less invasive in vitro and less metastatic in vivo when Id-1 was down-regulated by stable transduction with antisense Id-1. It is not possible at this point, however, to use antisense technology to reduce Id-1 expression in patients with metastatic breast cancer. " As for Alzheimers which my opponent states alzheimers cures, this isn't the case whatsoever; "[4]Marijuana may be able to slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease" marijuana has been shown to slow the effects of alzheimers but not do away with them entirely. This is the second reason to vote Con. Next, I would like to address the issue of evidence. I have shown numerous times in this debate where my opponent has cited either uncredible evidence or where he miscites evidence. Norml. org is the biggest example of this bad evidence, but other examples include outright rejecting my evidence regarding Paranoia and Shizophrenia; even the evidence he cites in the prior round supports me here, stating "[]Findings suggest that regular cannabis users are significantly more prone to cognitive and perceptual distortions as well as disorganization, but not interpersonal deficits, than non-regular users and those who have never used. " [23] . http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov... Furthermore in offering his voters Pro never actually expands upon the reasons he is winning the arguments concerning Cancer, Alzheimers, MS and Arthritis. He simply claims that he has cited authoritative evidence to support his claims. These should be considered drops as these are appeals to authority that never actually cite the authority. Placing a link in a debate does not stand to warrant the arguments made.

Title: Should Medical Marijuana Be Legal Content: Greetings and Salutations. I have a curve ball to throw at my opponent as while I am against his position, it is for a different reason. I hope you can either rein in the argument and assert yourself with logic, or roll with the punches and see where it takes us! I am against "Medical Marijuana" being legalized because it physically doesn't exist. There is no such thing other than a human conjuration of meaning. What is being depicted as marijuana is in fact Cannabis, or Hemp. A google search for the scientific name of Medical Marijuana, (Ie. the name of the person who discovered the fauna/flora), and you will discover it is something completely different, something that has been slapped onto another flora and passed of as real. Marijuana itself is part of a slur campaign from the nicotine and cotton industry to destroy Hemp, they renamed Cannabis to Marijuana to confuse people who had used it for generations into thinking some new dangerous 'drug' had been discovered - and successfully throttled any competition to their respective fields. Other indications of this being a slur is in its 'street' name "Weed". That itself conjures up a disgusting image when heard, an unwanted product. (Note: the articles are biased, I cannot find an open party reference on quick notice ) https://raoulduke1989.wordpress.com... https://gooeyrabinski.com... Cannabis is very real, and can be incredibly beneficial to most human - no... mammals, reptiles, birds and even plants! - as we all have THC receptors that have evolved over generations. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov... https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov... There are strains that have been cultivated to have lower THC levels, so that when ingested - there are less of the "side-effect's" the stoner culture is famous for. (When I searched to find some links to show, I got a TON of click-bait sites - Washington post, etc. with articles on it that have no basis of proof - However I believe most people have at least heard of this to understand that plant splicing and selective pollination can alter properties of a plant, and that THC is a property if Cannabis.... it can be altered). Eagerly awaiting my opponents response - Let's do this!

Title: Medical Marijuana Content: If marijuana is less toxic than many of the drugs that physicians prescribe every day, then why should it not be legalized for medical purposes? Although cannabis has been smoked widely in Western countries for more than four decades, there have been no reported cases of lung cancer or emphysema attributed to marijuana. Professor Lester Grinspoon, MD, from the Harvard Medical School, comments "I suspect that a day's breathing in any city with poor air quality poses more of a threat than inhaling a day's dose -- which for many ailments is just a portion of a joint -- of marijuana." Every drug has side effects, and most have potential risks. However, no other drug can do exactly what medical marijuana would do for a patient. Therefore, it should be legalized in order to benefit those suffering from illnesses such as AIDS and cancer.

Title: Marijuana Should Be Legal For Medicinal Purposes Content: "The illegality of cannabis is outrageous, an impediment to full utilization of a drug which helps produce the serenity and insight, sensitivity and fellowship so desperately needed in this increasingly mad and dangerous world." - Carl SaganAlthough there exist many benefits associated with the legalization of marijuana, including economic, moral, civil, and societal advantages, in this round I will attempt to build my case solely by focusing on only two primary contentions; namely, 1) the medical benefits of marijuana, and 2) the level safety associated with using marijuana. Ultimately, the criteria of a good medication is one that can provide a worthwhile medicinal benefit without resulting in any unreasonable side-effects; I believe marijuana fulfills this criteria, and should therefore be legalized for medicinal use.The Medicinal Benefits of Marijuana:The legalization of medical marijuana would undoubtedly result in the relief of millions of suffering people who seek to find an escape from their significantly numerous ailments; in fact, various authoritative studies have consistently confirmed that Marijuana treats and prevents glaucoma, epileptic seizures, cancer, anxiety, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, muscle tension, muscle spasm, Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis, chronic pain, and various other medical problems [1] [2]. Marijuana has also surprisingly been observed to help consumers increase their lung capacity, as well as provide them relief from the symptoms that accompany treatment of hepatitis C [3]. These studies have been performed, reported, and confirmed by non-partisan medical organizations and universities [4]. For example, Business Insider has reported on the following findings related to the medical benefits associated with marijuana use:Cancer: "One chemical found in marijuana, called cannabidiol, prevents cancer from spreading, researchers at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco reported in 2007. Cannabidiol stops cancer by turning of a gene called Id-1, the study, published in the journal Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, found. Cancer cells make more copies of this gene than non-cancerous cells, and it helps them spread through the body. The researchers studied breast cancer cells in the lab that had high expression levels of Id-1 and treated them with cannabidiol. After treatment the cells had decreased Id-1 expression and were less aggressive spreaders [5]."Alzheimer's: "Marijuana may be able to slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease, a study led by Kim Janda of the Scripps Research Institute suggests. The 2006 study, published in the journal Molecular Pharmaceutics found that THC, the active chemical in marijuana, slows the formation of amyloid plaques by blocking the enzyme in the brain that makes them. These plaques are what kill brain cells and cause Alzheimers [6]."Multiple Sclerosis:"Marijuana may ease painful symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis, a study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal in May suggests. Jody Corey-Bloom studied 30 multiple sclerosis patients with painful contractions in their muscles. These patients didn't respond to other treatments, but after smoking marijuana for a few days they were in less pain [7]."Arthritis: "Marijuana alleviates pain, reduces inflammation, and promotes sleep, which may help relieve pain and discomfort for people with rheumatoid arthritis, researchers announced in 2011. Researchers from rheumatology units at several hospitals gave their patients, sativex, a cannabinoid-based pain-relieving medicine. After a two week period, people on Sativex had a significant reduction in pain and improved sleep quality compared to placebo users [8]."Of course, this isn't to say that there are no negative side-effects of Marijuana -- there are; however, the negative properties of cannabis pale in comparison to its positive ones. In any case, it's no secret that the vast majority of legal medications possess at least one or many negative side-effects themselves.Therefore, despite the potential downfalls of marijuana, I submit that its abundant positive properties make it a justified candidate for legalization, especially considering the fact that many other legal medications possess similar or even worse side-effects [9].Marijuana Compared to Alcohol and Tobacco:One of the most perplexing realities surrounding the illegalization of medicinal marijuana is the fact that many other legal substances and are much more dangerous, particularly alcohol and tobacco; for example, http://www.saferchoice.org... provides the following comparisons between alcohol and marijuana:1) People die from alcohol overdoses; there has never been a fatal marijuana overdose2) Alcohol use damages the brain; marijuana use does not3) Alcohol use is linked to cancer; marijuana use is not4) Alcohol is more addictive than marijuana5) Alcohol use contributes to aggressive and violent behavior; marijuana use does not6) Alcohol use contributes to the likelihood of domestic abuse and sexual assault; marijuana use does notFurthermore, the following comparisons can be drawn between marijuana and tobacco:1) Over 400,000 people die every year from tobacco; no one has ever died directly from the use of marijuana [10]2) Tobacco causes cancer; marijuana does not [11]3) Marijuana is not as harmful to the lungs as tobacco smoke [12]Therefore, considering the fact that alcohol and tobacco are legal for recreational use, I submit that marijuana should certainly be legal for medicinal use, especially considering the fact that alcohol and tobacco are significantly more dangerous.________________________________________________________________________________________________[1] http://health.howstuffworks.com...[2] http://www.businessinsider.com...[3] Ibid.[4] Ibid.[5] Ibid.[6] Ibid.[7] Ibid[8] Ibid.[9] http://www.opposingviews.com...[10] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov...[11] Ibid.[12] Ibid.

Title: Medical Marijuana is better than man made pills Content: "Medical Marijuana is better than man made pills" assumes that cannabis is better for treating medical conditions than man made pills. While medical Cannabis is proven to help with much pain management and as been proven very useful in some fields it leaves others void of any treatment in which man made pills prove their use. If a woman needs birth control should she take man made pills instead of using cannabis to protect against unwanted pregnancy? No this is foolish If someone has a bacterial infection that requires antibiotics they should use pills instead of cannabis? Of course not. If someone has schizophrenia they should take man made pills instead of just using cannabis? There is good reason why we don't. To say medical marijuana is the be all and end all for medicine is a blanket statement that shows a lack of understanding of empiricism.

Title: Medical Marijuana Content: ====== Rebuttal ====== [QUOTE] 1) Beneficial in health. As noted by my own opponent, medical marijuana can help alleviate symptoms of pain, discomfort, and lack of appetite caused by many common disease, including AIDS, cancer, glaucoma, etc. This can go uncontested, as my opponent has already agreed that medical marijuana has these properties. Of course, there are even more benefits of marijuana, such as a prevention of the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease and its progression. (1)(2) A legalization of medical marijuana would aid those who are in pain from said diseases and symptoms. [/QUOTE] The main chemical used in "medical marijuana" that helps to manage disease is Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol, more commonly known as THC. While THC can be helpful in the treatment of certain diseases, the parts of the cannabis plant used to make "medical marijuana" contain only 3% THC. In order to intake this measly amount of THC, the patient must also assume the numerous harms of taking marijuana itself, including the intake over 400 hazardous chemicals and numerous psychological and physiological hazards. Not only that but the few good things that marijuana brings to the medical industry have already been isolated and incorporated into a FDA-approved pharmaceutical drug called Marinol. Marinol preserves the benefits of THC while lessening or eliminating the harms brought about by Marijuana consumption. Medical professionals have noticed the notable effects of certain narcotics in the suppression of pain. Does that mean that they legalize opium or heroin? Obviously no because pharmacists can isolate the positive effects of pain suppression and reduce the rather negative effects of extreme addiction and potential for homicidal rage. Why, then, legalize medical marijuana, when the aforementioned pharmaceutical drugs are superior in every regard to marijuana? [QUOTE] 2) Reduce number of those in prison. The current amount of arrests of marijuana-related crimes totals over 700,000 thousand a year, and that was back in 2005! (3) Of these, a whopping 88% were just for simple possession, while the rest were only for sale or manufacture. (3) These inmates who have done nothing morally wrong or reprehensible are now spending years and years in prison, just for possessing or growing marijuana. 3) Help cut our spending. We currently spend more than 15.5 billion dollars a year on marijuana arrests. (4) If legalized and taxed, not only would we eliminate that spending, but we would also have a major source of revenue that would help pull us out of this recession, as marijuana is our best cash crop, pulling in $35 billion dollars per year. (5)(6) [/QUOTE] Instead of sending those people to prison, we could just make them pay a citation and the citation would depend on how much marijuana the person possesses. This would also help the recession while keeping marijuana illegal. [QUOTE] 4) Little to no side effects. Marijuana causes a very small amount of, if at all, side effects, which are negligible at best. (7)(8) 5) It doesn't make any sense to render it illegal. And that's the crux of the matter, isn't it? It is not overly harmful, if at all, and it doesn't have any second-hand smoke effects. There is simply no logical/moral reason to keep it illegal. No one should have a right to tell you what you can and cannot ingest. You don't violate the rights of others in any way, shape or form, so why should it be illegal? There is not convincing argument as to why. [/QUOTE] This is obviously false. Depending on the user Marijuana usually causes the user to become hungry, lazy, paranoid, etc... Marijuana could cause obesity from hunger and that's if the user can get food. If the user can't get food in time, they will die of starvation. Marijuana could cause people to be lazy and therefore if marijuana was legal, The recession would actually be worse. Marijuana could cause people to be paranoid and lose trust in others causing them to go insane and crime rate may possibly go up and thus, this would do harm to others. ======= Arguments ======= 1)People say that marijuana can make the user "happy." Unnecessary and harmful freedoms are not handed out to the terminally ill simply to ensure that they have a pleasant trip out of life. Doing such sets an unneeded and negative precedent to the rest of society. Honestly, "happiness" isn't an idea that falls under the umbrella of medicine, and the Affirmative plan draws no line if happiness was an acceptable use for medical marijuana. If I had a bad day at work, would I be justified in using harmful drugs as an escapism? The use of medical marijuana as a means to achieve happiness by escaping from life's problems is neither a just reason for assuming that societal harms achieved by legalizing marijuana, nor does it even fall under the concept of medical marijuana in the first place. 2)What we must see is that current treatment options are far superior to the suggested use of medical marijuana, and any minuscule benefits are far outweighed by the harms of making marijuana easily available. 3)It's obvious that the legalization of medical marijuana has been abused on a widespread basis. Taking the action suggested by Pro provides little to no benefit to those actually sick, while simultaneously harming society as a whole. 4) Marinol is a better alternative to medical marijuana. ===== Sources ===== http://www.homedrugtestingkit.com... http://www.drugs.com... http://www.justice.gov...

Title: Medical Marijuana Content: 1st off Medical Marijuana can treat Alzheimer's Disease, Anorexia, AIDS, Arthritis, Cachexia, Cancer, Crohn's Disease, Epilepsy, Glaucoma, HIV, Migraine, Multiple Sclerosis, Nausea, Pain, Spasticity, and Wasting Syndrome. (http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org...) Medical Marijuana will not cause cancer, mental illness, and those who use Marijuana don't only barly use it but won't use other drugs. (http://www.drugpolicy.org...) Not only that, but 800,000 people each year are arrested for possesion only and if legalized it will decrease the jail birds and it will decrease drug cartel crime in america. Already 17 US states have legalized the drug, meaning that these states have found use in the drug. http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org... Your move! http://www.youtube.com...

Title: Medical Marijuana Content: The main problem, is that Medical Marijuana is often used as an excuse for drug addiction. Since legalizing Marijuana allows young children and adults to become possibly addicted to the drug, it is best that we avoid taking risks by making Medical Marijuana illegal. This, however, will not offend one's rights as harmful substances should not be legally administered under any circumstances. This is why, poisonous substances are not allowed to be prescribed legally, as they are often more harmful than helpful. In conclusion, using Marijuana as a therapy or medicine is highly dangerous as there are more than effective ways to treat symptoms. Legalizing this drug, will only be overall counterproductive to a patient's physical and mental health.

Title: Resolved: Medical Marijuana should be legal Content: I am going to continue my last arguments. And I thank my opponentRebuttles Ever since the mid 70s, medical scientists have been well aware of the beneficial effects of cannabinoid compounds over cancerous cells. Thanks to modern science, over a dozen studies conducted during recent years have been able to partially reveal just how it works. Yet cannabis is still not endorsed by pharmaceutical companies as a cancer cure, and since it is not promoted through mainstream channels, very few people are aware of its benefits. Consequently, it is not sought after as an alternative to disfiguring chemotherapy and other harmful drugs.Laboratory tests conducted in 2008 by a team of scientists formed as a joint research effort between Spain, France and Italy, and published in The Journal Of Clinical Investigation, showed that the active ingredient in marijuana, known as tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, can function as a cure for brain cancer by inducing human glioma cell death through stimulation of autophagy.The study concluded that via the same biochemical process THC could terminate multiple types of cancers, affecting various cells in the body. Other studies have shown that cannabinoids may work by various mechanisms, including inhibiting cell growth, inducing cell death, and inhibiting tumor metastasis.What is amazing is that while cannabinoids effectively target and kill cancerous cells, they do not affect healthy, normal cells and may actually protect them against cellular death. Moreover, cannabinoids are also researched for their pain-modulation and anti-inflammatory abilities as they bind to special receptors in the brain, much like opioid derivatives that are commonly prescribed today.Further evidence to support the effects of cannabis extract on malignant cells comes from the real life experience of individuals who have successfully overcome cancer by using cannabis oil. Examples include a patient, who managed to completely cure his skin cancer by simply applying cannabis oil onto the affected areas of the skin, as well as another, who recovered from a severe head injury with the aid of hemp oil.One of the cannabinoids that has displayed amazing medical properties is cannabidiol, or CBD - a non-psychoactive compound that is regarded by some as the medical discovery of the 21st century, and with good reason. Research indicates that CBD can relieve convulsions, reduce inflammation, lower anxiety and suppress nausea, while also inhibiting cancer development. In addition, CBD has exhibited neuroprotective properties, relieving symptoms of dystonia and proving just as effective as regular antipsychotics in the treatment of schizophrenia.What stands out is that from the vast amount of research and data available, as well as the personal experiences of cancer survivors, is that no chemotherapy currently being used medically can match the non-toxic anti-carcinogenic and anti-tumorigenic effects of these natural plant compounds.http://safeaccess.ca...http://www.jci.org...http://dotsub.com...http://en.wikipedia.org...1.Health BenefitsEven Queen Victoria used marijuana extracts to relieve menstrual cramps.Mental ImbalancesADHD, PTSD, OCD, ODD, IED, CD, Bi-polar disorder, all in one 7-year-old boy. This is tough, since we're pretty sure one of those things listed is a nuclear device. Surprisingly, the child was not named Damien. According to the boy's mother (http://medicalcbd.wordpress.com...) his life was pretty much entirely therapy, medication, and institutionalization. There's a Charlie Sheen joke in here, for sure, but we're not going to make it. We're talking about sick kids here, focus:How Medical Marijuana Helped: After trying many medications, the boy's mother finally got him a prescription for medical marijuana. After eating part of a muffin, he stopped being a complete trainwreck of a human being. According to mom, that day "was the first day of Jeff's life, literally!" Ignoring the fact that her misuse of "literally" implies she gave birth to a seven-year-old, this anecdote illustrates a miraculous turnaround for the boy. He is now 8, and apparently living the life of a normal, if maladjusted boy.ADD and ADHDA well documented USC study (http://pr.cannazine.co.uk...) done about a year ago showed that marijuana is not only a perfect alternative for Ritalin but treats the disorder without any of the negative side effects of the pharmaceutical.2. ScienceA controlled substanceThe medical establishment continues to reinvent their justification for the demonization of marijuana as more and more of the claims made against cannabis are disproven. The justification currently holding the most ground is that cannabis is a plant, and cannot be carefully regulated because of the great chemical variability that is found between individual plants.Of course, medications have to be carefully monitored when the substance being used is also a poison at a slightly higher dose, as the overwhelming majority of pharmaceuticals are. And while one could understand the desire to maintain the strict regulation standards, the fact is that attempts to fix the purity problem have severely reduced its medical potency, and process has no real benefit. Control doesn't make the substance any safer because it isn't dangerous in the first place. Its toxicity is comparable to water. Yes, an individual could make themselves feel very unwell if they surpass their stomach's physical limits with any substance.A medicine to save us from medicinesIndividuals who have successfully used cannabis as a part of cancer therapy agree that there needs to be more research and more discussion about the actual science behind the plant's chemistry - not just anecdotal evidence from individual users. Unfortunately, most of the investigation of the medical applications for cannabis are being done illegally and in secret. The controversy, even according to the researchers themselves, is the main barrier to conducting scientific studies of the plant's properties. As a substance classified as a Schedule I drug, even research on cannabis is an illegal activity. Many sick individuals simply cannot wait for governments to get over their hang-ups, nor can the expectation that they should be justified. Currently, patients are required to exhaust the potential of other anti-nausea medications, many of which are less safe, in order to be prescribed medical marijuana.Inaugural beginnings of real scienceThe government has licensed a few manufacturers to produce THC acid extracts from the cannabis plant, as well to artificially synthesize the chemical. The problem is that the tentative separation has only resulted in a THC that has a profoundly diminished efficacy, and leaves behind the other 88 healing cannabinoids.In a medical context, cannabis is almost exclusively used as a treatment for the symptoms of chemotherapy - the polite name for radiation sickness. It must be remembered that THC is rarely used to treat cancer itself, and that patients are not really tapping into its healing properties. The overwhelming majority of patients are using the plant's psychoactive properties to mediate the deleterious effects of radiation. The direct effect of THC on ailments themselves is a largely unexplored field. As research moves forward, the artificially manufactured cannabinoids will inevitably increase in quality, eliminating the purity problems, and paving the way for the kind of precise control that will make regulators comfortable distributing the product.http://watch.montanapbs.org...http://www.drcnet.org...http://www.nap.edu...Ran out of Characters because of my RebuttelTHANKS FOR THE DEBATE!!

Title: Medical Marijuana Content: ======== Introduction ======== I will be arguing that Medical Marijuana should be illegal while my opponent will argue that medical marijuana should be and/or remain legal. For the purposes of this debate, medical marijuana will stand as Marijuana used to help manage, suppress, or reverse symptoms from medical disorders, such as but not necessarily limited to AIDS, cancer, chronic pain, glaucoma, etc. If my opponent feels that there is something I haven't made clear then tell me during the first round of this debate and I will be more than happy to clarify as best as I can. I want to thank my opponent in advance for accepting this debate. I will let my opponent start his argument first. ====== Definition ====== Marijuana: The female leaves of the Cannabis plant as used to create a number of euphoriant and hallucinogenic drugs. Medical: Relating to the study or practice of medicine.

Title: Medical Marijuana Content: Medical Marijuana can treat patients of cancer and AIDs, but it leads to more problems. Andrea Bathwell, who used to be the Deputy Director for the White House once said, ""By characterizing the use of illegal drugs as quasi-legal, state-sanctioned, Saturday afternoon fun, legalizers destabilize the societal norm that drug use is dangerous. They undercut the goals of stopping the initiation of drug use to prevent addiction.... Children entering drug abuse treatment routinely report that they heard that 'pot is medicine' and, therefore, believed it to be good for them." Even if marijuana is used for medical purposes, it leads to addiction and that's why it should not be legalized for treatment.

Title: Medical Marijuana Content: Per the Advanced English Dictionary: Marijuana: The female leaves of the Cannabis plant as used to create a number of euphoriant and hallucinogenic drugs. For the purposes of this debate, medical marijuana will stand as Marijuana used to help manage, suppress, or reverse symptoms from medical disorders, such as (but not necessarily limited to) those mentioned by my opponent. The main chemical used in "medical marijuana" that helps to manage disease is Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol, more commonly known as THC. While THC can be helpful in the treatment of certain diseases, the parts of the cannabis plant used to make 'medical marijuana" contain only three percent THC. In order to intake this measly amount of THC, the patient must also assume the numerous harms of in taking marijuana itself, including the intake over 400 hazardous chemicals and numerous psychological and physiological hazards. But wait: the (few) good things that marijuana brings to the medical industry have already been isolated and incorporated into a FDA-approved pharmaceutical drug called Marinol. Marinol preserves the benefits of THC while lessening or eliminating the harms brought about by Marijuana consumption. If the harms can be lessened, why legalize a destructive alternative that is in all cases inferior and will be abused? Medical professionals have noticed the notable effects of certain narcotics in the suppression of pain. Does that mean that they legalize opium or heroin? Of course not, because pharmacists can isolate the positive effects of pain suppression and reduce the rather negative effects of extreme addiction and potential for homicidal rage. Why, then, legalize medical marijuana, when the aforementioned pharmaceutical drugs are superior in every regard to marijuana? The affirmative plan holds no greater utility, and accordingly, it is your duty to vote Con. Criteria: For Pro to win, he must prove that "medical marijuana" has some sort of benefit that is not matched by currently-approved THC-utilizing drugs, and must further prove that these said benefits outweigh the benefits that the FDA-approved drugs hold over marijuana. Sources: http://www.homedrugtestingkit.com... http://www.drugs.com... http://www.usdoj.gov...

Title: Marijuana is a good alternative medicine to suit individual needs Content: The fact that there are alternatives to medical marijuana for many treatments is not necessarily an argument against medical marijuana. It is always important to have many alternatives, largely due to differing personal preferences, beliefs, and physical reactions to different drugs.[15]

Title: Medical Marijuana Should Not Be Legalized. Content: Firstly, I am not arguing that medical marijuana should never be legalized. I am arguing that it should not be legalized yet.Argument 1: Safety Concerns.Many studies have indicated that marijuana has no safety issues and some even claim it is healthy. Not every study agrees though. Some indicate major health concerns regarding marijuana and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, a major component of marijuana.) A study in the Journal of Immunology shows that THC in marijuana can promote tumor growth (1: Medscape). According to the study, the components of THC and marijuana smoke can harm the bodies anti-tumor response.Most studies that claim marijuana can slow down tumor growth involved the injection of THC (not marijuana, just the THC chemical.) Not only is medical marijuana not injected, but marijuana wasn't involved in the studies claiming THC slows tumors. The people responsible for the study even made clear that smoking cannabis will not fight cancer, "It absolutely isn't the case that men might be able to fight prostate cancer by smoking cannabis..."(2: Reuters). My first listed study, that showed marijuana can increase tumor growth, used actual marijuana. It also studied the smoking of marijuana instead of just injecting it. Another study showed that the use of marijuana can most definitely increase the risk of Lung Cancer (with a 97% confidence interval.) Every joint smoked a day can increase the chance of lung cancer by 8% (3: European Respiratory Journal.) While some studies show no connection between smoking cannabis and getting lung cancer, others show that every 3 joints a day increases the risk by the equivalent of 20 cigarettes a day (4: BBC News.) Other studies indicate an increase in the risk of Schizophrenia. How many studies? Schizophrenia.com cites over 30 (5: Schizophrenia.) Others even link Cannabis to Anxiety and Panic Attacks (6: Anxiety Public Hub) and another shows that, after the first hour, the risk of heart attack increases five fold (7: National Institute of Drug Abuse.) For every study that shows no connection between marijuana and health problems, there is another study that says otherwise. With the lack of solid consensus, it would be wrong to say marijuana is, without a doubt, safe. Many studies indicate some harsh side effect of using marijuana, and without a definite answer regarding the health concerns of the drug, it would be gravely irresponsible and dangerous to legalize the product for medical use. Until we know for sure what the full effect of smoking marijuana is, we shouldn't legalize the product.Many high-end studies show the side effects as being more grave than smoking plain cigarettes. We can't say for sure that marijuana is vastly dangerous, but it's the fact that we can't say for sure that makes legalizing medical use of the drug such a terrible and irresponsible move. But what if another manner of usage was applied? The injection of marijuana can cause Intravenous marijuana Syndrome (8: NCBI.) Injecting marijuana has been known to kill test mice (9: Guardian.) The injection of a chemical like THC is highly dangerous.There are too many studies linking marijuana and THC to serious health issues to conclude it's safe enough to legalize. The lack of definite Information means that marijuana for medical use should still remain illegal. Of course many medical drugs come with health concerns, few as major as what many studies link to marijuana. Although claiming that medical marijuana should be legal because many unhealthy drugs are legal would apply faulty logic, assuming that those bad drugs should be legal as well. 1: http://www.medscape.com...2: http://www.reuters.com...3: http://erj.ersjournals.com...4: http://news.bbc.co.uk...5: http://www.schizophrenia.com...6: http://www.panicattacks.com.au...7: http://www.drugabuse.gov...8: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov...9: http://www.theguardian.com...2: Rate of Addictionmarijuana is, in fact, addictive. It has been suggested that as much as 30% of marijuana users can develop an addiction, while 9% will develop a severe addiction (10: Psychology Today.) Those numbers are far higher than the average rate of addiction for other drugs. This argument rests on the premise that no medical drug with a high chance of addiction should ever be legal.10: http://www.psychologytoday.com...3: Poor Prescription MethodThe method of prescription in the US is dirt poor. Adam Tod Brown, an author at Cracked.com, wrote an article describing how easy it is to get medical marijuana in California (11: Cracked.) The ease of getting medical marijuana is too great. This isn't a black market issue either. The largest problem regarding the ease of obtaining the drug is on the prescription side of legalization.Most people can obtain a prescription without needing a serious condition (like cancer), or even having a slightly above-average condition at all. Half of all prescription usages aren't regarding any form of cancer but are instead for small conditions that would hardly get a person normal medication (12: NORML.)The method of obtaining a prescription for the drug is dangerously flawed. Until major reform takes place, medical marijuana should remain illegal. The method of obtaining the drug promotes black markets and illegal usage. The flawed process also promotes illegally obtaining the drug. The process makes illegally obtaining the drug (which, without taxes, and regulations, is much cheaper) easier than when medical marijuana was illegal. 11: http://www.cracked.com...12: http://www.mapinc.org...Conclusion: Because of the vastly lacking sum of information regarding the safety of marijuana and THC, the large sum of surveys that indicate gravely negative side effects, the rate of addiction, and the terribly flawed method of obtaining a prescription, it would be irresponsible to make medical marijuana legal.Until these major issues are fixed, medical marijuana should remain illegal.

Title: Marijuana should be legalized Content: Marijuana should be legalized for medical purposes. 15 of 50 US States and DC have legalized the medical use of marijuana. It can be a safe and effective treatment for the symptoms of cancer, AIDS, multiple sclerosis, pain, glaucoma, epilepsy, and other conditions. Scientific studies show that for many years marijuana has pointed to medicinal help. Six of these studies sponsored by U.S. states in the 1970s and 1980s, demonstrate that smoking marijuana reduces nausea and reduces pain for many patients, especially those facing cancer chemotherapy and glaucoma. Plus thousands of patients and their families and doctors have experienced and witnessed the medical benefits of marijuana. They have testified at public hearings and appeared in the media with these findings. Too many people are suffering from these diseases and if marijuana can help them, we should legalize it so they can get better.

Title: Medical Marijuana Should Not Be Legalized. Content: Arguments Extanded.

Title: Medical Marijuana Content: Treating diseases with smoked marijuana isn't a valid option. It has negative effects on the heart, lungs, brain, and immune system no matter how long they've been treated with it. Cannabis weakens the immune system which is very valuable to someone who is undergoing a deadly disease. These patients will become dependent on the drug and even when they are not sickly anymore they will feel the need to use it.

Title: Due to low addiction rates, marijuana is good for medical use. Content: Marijuana is the best drug to be put into medical use since it was ranked lowest for withdrawal symptoms, tolerance and dependence (addiction) potential. It ranked close to caffeine in the degree of reinforcement and higher than caffeine and nicotine only in the degree of intoxication.

Title: Marijuana should be legal for medical purposes. Content: Forgive me for posting this argument close to the deadline. The internet at the motel is absolutely horrible and I have limited time to be online anyway. I will have to make this argument shorter than I wished it to the be and I would appreciate the opportunity to expand on my points later. Main ArgumentI do not believe you have seen CNN's documentaries Weed and Weed 2: Cannabis Madness. I am going to recap the basics for you: Cannabis can be bred in order to have certain traits. Marijuana has two main components: THC and CBD. CBD (cannabidiol) will reduce brain activity and will lower the occurances of seizures. Weed as a drug will be destruction. Weed as a medicine can be the last hope. There is the risk of addiction, of course, but when taken in moderation, it can be beneficial. You cannot deny this. Also, in the second CNN documentary, they told how cannabis can be more beneficial than other epilepsy medicines. This cannot be denied. I have a challenge for you: Deny it. Due to limited time to be online, I could not cite the sources in the proper format. Please forgive me. http://en.wikipedia.org...http://en.wikipedia.org...

Title: Marijuana should be legalized Content: I am not saying this should go to those people who dont need it for medical purposes, but for those who need it for medical purposes its a huge help.When i stated that it shoul be legalized i stated that it should be legalized for medical purposes. and It does more then deal with some side effects of pain, nausea, and aneroxia. if you read my previous round you would be aware of this,,i will state two of the points again..you may read the rest over yourself. MS: numerous case studies have also reported improvement in patients treated with symptoms of MS including spasticity. 'have been shown in animal models to measurably lessen the symptoms and it may also halt the progression of the growing disease. Epilepsy The British Epilepsy Association stated on its website (accessed May 3, 2006): "There is scientific evidence to suggest that cannabis may be beneficial in treating a number of conditions, including epilepsy.... Some reports suggest that it can reduce seizures. do you have any idea how painful some of these diseases could be if it can ease the pain, why not take use it? its not a selfish need to obtain a high but a desperate attempt to try to ease pain. and sometimes it does more then just ease the pain for your information...even if it dosent dont these people who are suffering deserve to live without pain for a little while? if you were the one suffering from a disease i think it would greatly change your point of view

Title: Pick your own debate! Content: My opponent is using a huge logical fallacy; he is claiming that because medical marijuana doesn't have medical purposes for all medical conditions that the medical conditions it does have medical purposes for do not count. The fact remains that medical marijuana has several medical purposes such as alleviating neurpathic pain. A ban on medical marijuana would result in the ban of a medicine that works better than any other medicines, resulting in worse health out comes and a worse off health care system. My opponents post is also lying the source i posted studied the addictive potential of some medical marijuana the studies found that certain medical marijuana extracts do not result in addictive properties or addictive behavior. medical marijuana is different then regular marijuana because in medical marijuana they take out the harmful and addictive chemicals and only use the chemicals that have medical purposes. this means that every time my opponent links to marijuana having unhealthy effects he is comparing apples and oranges, and therefore his comparisons are invalid. For example a scientific study found that medial marijuana improved the mental abilities of people with Alzheimers. So basically a ban on medical marijuana would be an example of the government telling doctors how to treat patients. it would also be an example of the government telling millions of sick people that they cannot legally consume medicines that improve their medical condition.

Title: Medicle Marijuana Content: It has been proven that marijuana can be used for medicle purposes. Well if it can be used to benifit a persons health then they should be able to use. Now it's not like somebody says hey lets go to the doctor and get some drugs. No marijuana can just be given away. The doctor has to have a valid reason as to why they need to use marijuana. And, the doctor has to notify his advisors of his actions. Therefore marijuana should be used for medical uses.

Title: Marijuana Should Be Legal For Medicinal Purposes Content: My opponent raises various criticisms against my arguments, particularly concerning the medical benefits of the substance; he also presents contentions against the relativity of my alcohol/tobacco argument; therefore, I shall attempt address all such arguments herein.Alcohol and Tobacco:As my opponent rightly states, using the dangerous effects of alcohol and tobacco alone to advocate the medical legality of a particular substance is certainly insufficient to make my case; however, the point I am trying to make is that given marijuana's medical advantages, it should be a legal medical substance, especially considering that alcohol and tobacco are legal for recreational use.Obviously if my opponent effectively demonstrates that marijuana possesses no legitimate medical benefits, then his point is valid; however, seeing as how my position advocates the medically advantageous nature of marijuana, my argument should stand to be considered.Medical Benefits of Marijuana:Cancer:Here my opponent asserts that my original source took medical information out of context; however, I believe such a claim is simply incorrect. The medical article from which my source asserts the beneficial effects of marijuana on cancer states that "CBD [cannabidiol] represents the first nontoxic exogenous agent that can significantly decrease Id-1 expression in metastatic breast cancer cells leading to the down-regulation of tumor aggressiveness [1]."Given such information, it's perfectly accurate to claim that marijuana, which contains cannabidiol, provides beneficial effects for individuals suffering from cancer; moreover, contrary to what my opponent claims, CBD is indeed found in marijuana; in fact, it constitutes about 40% of its extracts [2].Moreover, as I've stated before, marijuana doesn't just help with breast cancer; rather, THC (a primary chemical found in marijuana) also helps destroy brain cancer cells [3], and research has provided immensely compelling evidence of marijuana's ability to reduce up to 50% of tumor growth in common lung cancer, as well as prevent the spread of the cancer significantly [4]. All of these studies have been conducted and confirmed by esteemed and authoritative universities, including Harvard, UCLA, and the University in Madrid, Spain.Not only does this information provide convincing evidence of marijuana's ability to prevent and treat cancer, but also puts my opponent's assertion that marijuana only serves as an anesthetic in serious doubt.Alzheimer's:Here my opponent again claims at marijuana is only an anesthetic, and asserts that the substance has no beneficial effects on individuals suffering from Alzheimer's; however, contrary my opponent's claims, marijuana has been found to inhibit amyloid plaque (a primary pathological marker) much more effectively than other currently medically approved substances. In fact, a study conducted by Scripps Research Institute and published in the Journal of Molecular Pharmaceutics states that THC is a "considerably superior inhibitor of [amyloid plaque] aggregation [5]."This information again refutes my opponent's claim that marijuana is only an anesthetic, as well as effectively demonstrates that individuals suffering from Alzheimer's do in fact experience medically beneficial effect as a result of using marijuana.My opponent also raises contentions concerning the fact that marijuana results in increased heart rate, as well as the fact that it contains up to 50-70% more carcinogens than tobacco; however, what my opponent has failed to mention is that no one has ever been reported to have died directly from marijuana use [6]; as such, my opponent has failed to establish that these side-effects present any real potential danger for users of the substance. Moreover, in 2006, a research team from UCLA found that marijuana did not exhibit any apparent risk of raising the chance of lung cancer in users [7].Multiple Sclerosis:Here my opponent contends that for individuals suffering from Multiple Sclerosis, marijuana doesn't actually treat the disease itself; but rather, one of its symptoms (spastic movement). Unfortunately, I don't see how this is a valid point when arguing against the position that marijuana should be legalized as a medical substance. Is my opponent asserting that medications which treat symptoms should not be legal for medical use? Surely he doesn't believe that there are no such things as medications which seek to treat the symptoms of diseases, rather than the diseases themselves.My opponent also raises further contentions concerning the "cognitive effects" which may result from marijuana use; however, as I've already stated my previous rounds, the evidence is not at all conclusive that there is any correlation between marijuana use and negative cognitive side-effects.Arthritis:Again, how is the fact that marijuana can't heal every single aspect of an ailment a valid argument against it being legalized as medical substance? Simply because marijuana works as a pain-killer in the case of arthritis (not as an end-all solution) is no reason to say that it shouldn't be legalized for medicinal use, especially considering the positive effects which have been reported as a result of marijuana use from people suffering from arthritis [8].Negative Side-Effects Associated With Marijuana:Carcinogens:As I've stated before, there are many ways to consume marijuana which do not include smoking it; therefore, this argument is moot. Moreover, as I mentioned earlier in this round, a research team from UCLA was unable to identify any apparent risk of increased chances of lung cancer in people who used marijuana.Immune-System Deficiency:My opponent again raises the contention that marijuana presents risks to an individual's immune system; however, I have already addressed this claim in the previous round. Allow me to quote myself:"Just as heart disease, the claim that marijuana use results in immune system deficiency is unsupported by any conclusive evidence. A review by Dr. Leo Hollister states that 'the evidence [on immune suppression] has been contradictory and is more supportive of some degree of immunosuppression only when one considers in vitro studies. These have been seriously flawed by the very high concentrations of drug used to produce immunosuppression. The closer that experimental studies have been to actual clinical situations, the less compelling has been the evidence.'"I also provided an interesting quote from norml.org last round on this matter. I encourage my opponent to read it again.Impaired Cognitive Functions:Many legal medications result in impaired cognitive functions, especially in various types of sleeping medications. As a report on pubmed.org states, "iatrogenically induced cognitive deficits are common with pharmacological therapy [9]."Unsafe Production:Unsafe production is the result of lacking regulation. With marijuana fully legalized as a medical substance and regulated by the food and drug administration, such a problem would no longer present a problem; therefore, I submit that my opponent's point is moot.I am not saying marijuana has no side-effects at all -- most medications do. But the benefits of marijuana far outweigh its faults.Given this information, I encourage voters to vote in favor of the resolution.________________________________________________________________________________________________[1] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov...[2] http://en.wikipedia.org...[3] http://www.medicalnewstoday.com...[4] http://www.sciencedaily.com...[5] http://www.scripps.edu...[6] http://www.webmd.com...[7] http://www.webmd.com...[8] http://www.huffingtonpost.com...[9] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov...

Title: Marijuana should be legalized Content: no

Title: Medical marijuana is unrelated to crime that surrounds dispensaries. Content: The legitimate place of dispensaries in supplying individuals that suffer from illnesses with access to medicine must be separated from the crime that may or may not surround them. This crime is unrelated to the fundamental mission of medical marijuana dispensaries, so it should not be used against them, just as crime surrounding other legitimate businesses cannot be used to argue against the legitimate purpose of these businesses.

Title: Resolved: Medical Marijuana should be legal Content: I do also believe that by giving peopel "medical" MJ people will start to become addicted to it. I accept this debate and look forward to the following rounds Def: Medical- medï¿½iï¿½cal (md-kl) adj. 1. Of, relating to, or characterizing the study or practice of medicine. 2. Requiring treatment by medicine. n. A thorough physical examination MJ-A common street and recreational drug that comes from the marijuana plant: the hemp plant cannabis sativa. The pharmacologically active ingredient in marijuana is tetra-hydro-cannabinol (THC). Marijuana is used to heighten perception, affect mood, and relax. Many people think marijuana is harmless, but it is not. Signs of marijuana use include red eyes, lethargy, and uncoordinated body movements. The long-term effects may include decrease in motivation and harmful effects on the brain, heart, lungs, and reproductive system. People who smoke marijuana are also at increased risk of developing cancer of the head and neck. A pharmaceutical product, Marinol, that contains synthetic THC, is available as a prescription medication. It comes in the form of a pill (eliminating the harmful and cancer-causing chemicals present when marijuana is smoked) and is used to relieve the nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy for cancer patients and to treat loss of appetite in AIDS patients. mood-altering herb they smoked marijuana Legal-1. Of, relating to, or concerned with law: legal papers. 2. a. Authorized by or based on law: a legal right. b. Established by law; statutory: the legal owner. 3. In conformity with or permitted by law: legal business operations. 4. Recognized or enforced by law rather than by equity. 5. In terms of or created by the law: a legal offense. 6. Applicable to or characteristic of attorneys or their profession. n. 1. One that is in accord with certain rules or laws. 2. legals Investments that may be legally made by fiduciaries and certain institutions, such as savings banks and insurance companies. Also called legal list these came from: . http://www.medterms.com...(MJ) . http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com... If there are any problems with the above let me know and ill explain each.

Title: Marijuana should be legal for medical purposes. Content: I will be taking the stance of 'Marijuana should not be legal for medical purposes' while he shall be taking the stance of 'Marijuana should be legal for medial purposes. As he has already stated the rules and procedures, I see no reason to say any more in round 1. I patiently await his first argument in round 2.

Title: Marijuana should be legal Content: Marijuana is one of the more tame drugs yes but it usually leads into other drug abuse. I'm not saying that people that use marijuana for medical reasons are more likely to do crack or other hard drugs, but people who do it for recreational purposes might. Marijuana also kills braincells and makes people do things they may not do unless under the influence Source: My uncles doctor who has been treating him for drug abuse

Title: Medical cannabis Content: Medical cannabis has been proven to ease symptoms of painful illness. Medical cannabis has been used in easing symptoms of cancer and many other illnesses, and has proven effective. If you were in the position of these people. In pain and nothing can take that pain away, wouldn't you want medical cannabis to cure the pain? Your connotations of marijuana are making your view of this effective treatment blocked. Think of this argument from their point of view. They're in pain and suffering and what may take this away they aren't granted? Medical cannabis can avoid misuse with appropriate tests and papers. Medical cannabis has been proven to work, and should be legalized. You need to look at cannabis separately from recreational marijuana to fully understand why cannabis should be allowed.

Title: Marijuana should be legalized and should be taken seriously as a medicine. Content: Millions of Americans smoke marijuana both for recreational uses and also medicinal uses. Whoever accepts this debate must justify why these people are criminals and also disprove Marijuana's use of medicine. With the economy in the tank why wouldn't marijuana be considered a viable stimulus to a sputtering economy. This is all I'll say for now and to whoever trys to disprove me good luck.

Title: Cannabis has many medical properties, notably the alleviation of suffering in chronic diseases. It should therefore be freely available Content: Government has a role in establishing what is an acceptable level of behaviour within society. Full in the knowledge that some people will use any substance responsibly and others less so, governments make decisions to protect their citizens and to show a lead. It is the settled will of most people in most countries that cannabis is not a drug they consider acceptable for use in a modern society. Furthermore, there are plenty of other drugs that can be used for all of the uses Proposition has identified. Legalizing cannabis for medical use would send out the message that it is safe to use when all practical evidence suggests that the social, if not the medical, ramifications are anything but safe. Proposition need to demonstrate a medical use for cannabis that cannot be met by existing pharmaceuticals.

Title: Medical Marijuana Content: And obviously you will be for medical marijuana.

Title: Resolved: Medical Marijuana should be legal Content: And adding those definitions.1. Health BenefitsAlzheimer's Disease - Forget the burnout jokes you've heard about effects of smoking marijuana on the brain. Scripps Research Institute found the active ingredient in marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, inhibits the formation amyloid plaque, a primary pathological marker. The report, published in 2006 in the journal Molecular Pharmaceutics,said THC is a "considerably superior inhibitor of (amyloid plaque) aggregation" to several currently approved drugs for treating the disease. Brain Cancer - Researchers from Compultense University in Madrid, Spain have found THC promotes the death of brain cancer cells (. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com...) by a process called autophagy. Autophagy essentially causes the cancerous cells to eat itself. Seems that would be a health benefit of medical marijuana that should be investigated further, no? Head and Neck Cancer - The journal Cancer Prevention Research published a study in 2009 that observed 434 subjects with incidents of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) from 9 medical facilities. While the results were far from conclusive, the evidence indicated patients with 10-20 years of marijuana use was associated with the "significantly reduced" (. http://cancerpreventionresearch.aacrjournals.org...) risk of HNSCC. Lung Cancer and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)- Researchers at Harvard University (. http://www.sciencedaily.com...) found THC to reduce tumor growth in common lung cancer by 50% and significantly reduce the ability of the cancer to spread. In 2006 a UCLA researcher found smoking marijuana did not appear to increase the risk of lung cancer or head-and-neck malignancies even among heavy users. However, the study indicated the more tobacco a person smoked, the greater the risk of developing cancer of the lung and head and neck. Note: I am by no means saying the ingestion of combustible smoke of any kind is not without risks, I am merely trying to present information about research conducted and the results that show promising results of the potential health benefits of medical marijuana which warrant further investigation. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) - More commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease is a fatal neurodegnerative disorder characterized by the selective loss of motor neurons in the spinal cord, brain stem and motor cortex. Clinical trials have indicated that cannabinoids in mice can delay ALS progression. This supports anecdotal reports from ALS sufferers who found the health benefits, of medical marijuana helpful in relieving certain disease symptoms such as pain, appetite loss and depression. . http://norml.org...Chronic Pain - Chronic pain is a broad category that includes, but is not limited to, arthritis, migraines, back pain, fibromyalgia, carpal tunnel syndrome, phantom limb pain, scoliosis, osteoporosis, multiple sclerosis and HIV, The University of California at Davis (. http://www.thirdage.com...) studied the efficacy of inhaled cannabis patients with central or peripheral nerve-related pain in a randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Results indicated that low levels of THC was equally effective as high levels in resolving pain indicating you don't have to smoke your brains out for the analgesic effects of THC.2. ScienceThe University of California Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research has done several studies into the efficacy of marijuana for neuropathic use - especially in pain reduction. They have been done using FDA standardized clinical trials with randomized, placebo-controlled procedures. These studies have clearly shown the positive effects of using marijuana as a pain reliever and medicine for patients with such chronic conditions as HIV, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, spinal cord injury, and sleep disorders. . http://www.cmcr.ucsd.edu...A recent review in Germany showed that since 2005, there have been 37 controlled studies assessing the safety and efficacy of marijuana (and its compounds). These involved far more subjects than the average study seeking FDA approval for a prescription drug. . http://www.cannabis-med.org...Many opponents of medical marijuana claim that there is "little evidence" and call for "more research, more science. " These are the more reasonable of the detractors for the medicinal use of marijuana, of course. Yet these reasonable arguments against marijuana as a medicine are pretty hollow given the vast amount of research that's already been done with much more on the way. Proponents of medical marijuana often ignore the research as well. Despite the common claims to the contrary, there is evidence that marijuana also has negative side effects. Most of these center on the physical effects of smoking it as well as proven cognitive negatives. Admittedly, the effects are no worse (and generally better) than the side effects associated with many prescription drugs and accepted non-prescription drugs such as alcohol or tobacco. . http://www.newscientist.com...Most of the arguments for or against the use of medical marijuana seem to center on social rather than science-based concerns. This is rightly so, in some cases, as there are deep social issues involved with marijuana's use (or prohibition). Many communities have benefited from the introduction of medical marijuana, however. . http://cannacentral.com... negative impacts of marijuana, socially, are nearly always associated with its prohibition rather than its allowance.3. Marijuana legalization could save US taxpayers money. Marijuana prohibition currently costs taxpayers billions of dollars a year to enforce, and it accomplishes little or nothing beneficial in terms of economic benefits. On the contrary, legalizing marijuana would not only save taxpayers billions of dollars a year in unnecessary costs, but it would also jumpstart the economy to the tune of $100 billion a year or more, say some economists. In an open letter written to the President, Congress, State Governors, and State Legislators, more than 550 economists, including several nobel laureates, draw attention to a report authored by Professor Jeffrey A. Miron that highlights the potential economic benefits of marijuana decriminalization. Entitled The Budgetary Implications of Marijuana Prohibition, the report states that legalizing, taxing, and regulating marijuana would do wonders to reduce inflated budgets and generate new revenue streams. "[R]eplacing prohibition with a system of taxation and regulation [. .. ] would save $7.7 billion per year in state and federal expenditures on prohibition enforcement and produce tax revenues of at least $2.4 billion annually if marijuana were taxed like most consumer goods," say the economists. "If, however, marijuana were taxed similarly to alcohol or tobacco, it might generate as much as $6.2 billion annually. "As many as 60 million Americans are already estimated to be spending upwards of $110 billion a year on marijuana, the vast majority of which ends up in the hands of organized crime units. If marijuana was legalized, honest citizens could grow and sell it instead, which would inject new life into the flailing economy, and redirect billions of dollars in cash flow from criminals to legitimate growers. "At a minimum, this debate will force advocates of current policy to show that prohibition has benefits sufficient to justify the cost to taxpayers, foregone tax revenues, and numerous ancillary consequences that result from marijuana prohibition," add the economists. . http://www.huffingtonpost.com...http://www.prweb.com...

Title: Medical as well as recreational marijuana should be legal in all US states Content: In this round I plan to conclude my arguments, but first I shall answer my opponent's question. I entered this debate because I thought it would be interesting. Now, on to my conclusion.Conclusion: Marijuana is a very deadly and unhealthy drug. At no point in history, nor today, has it ever helped anybody. It just makes health problems worse, or create new ones. If you really want to legalize it, you must want a lot of people to die, or at least end up in an insane assyleum. As I have explained throughout the previous rounds, marijuana will just make things worse. No has ever, nor will ever, come from its legalization. Especially since potheads are the only ones trying to fight to get it legalized while the medical field is trying to put their foot down and say no. They've been trying to tell us how bad it is, but no ones listening. They think drugs are fun, but they're really not. My girlfriend used to take all sorts of drugs, marijuana being one. You want to know what they did? They made her uterus bleed... A lot. In fact, she called them her periods. But when was the last time a girl had a period 3 times in one month? Marijuana can have just as bad, or worse effects on everybody who uses it. Is this really something we want in our country? Aren't we supposed to be better than the rest? That's not something we can accomplish if we legalize marijuana.I thank my opponent for this very interesting debate, I also thank the readers who payed attention and followed this. Also, for the readers/followers, please be the well educated, sane people I know you are and vote for Con. Show the world that you're above drugs.Thank you.

Title: Medical Marijuana Content: I accept. Good Luck.

Title: Medical Marijuana is better than man made pills Content: I believe that for terminal diseases such as cancer Medical Marijuana should be used as much as possible in place of man made drugs

Title: Resolved: Medical Marijuana should be legal Content: Ok due to it being the last round in this debate I will cut it short. I will end my case and continue by attacking my opponents case, then if space allows I will attempt to summarize the above debate. First, my entire case I ask to be flowed over. Second, starting with my opponents comment "Add is ADHD its just generalized" Ok first I am going to use my aunt as a source(she is in the medical profession) "One is Hyperactive and the other is not" by this she means that Add= Attention Deficit Disorder, Adhd= Attention Hyperactive Deficit Disorder. "Yet cannabis is still not endorsed by pharmaceutical companies as a cancer cure, and since it is not promoted through mainstream channels, very few people are aware of its benefits. Consequently, it is not sought after as an alternative to disfiguring chemotherapy and other harmful drugs"(opponents case)" as I had proven earlier in my case Some of marijuana's adverse health effects may occur because THC impairs the immune system's ability to fight off infectious diseases and cancer. In laboratory experiments that exposed animal and human cells to THC or other marijuana ingredients, the normal disease-preventing reactions of many of the key types of immune cells were inhibited(16). In other studies, mice exposed to THC or related substances were more likely than unexposed mice to develop bacterial infections and tumors. Now as you can see my opponent has failed to uphold the goal of trying to get everyone to agree that MJ should be legalized for medical reasons- My response to this was A. the person could get hooked B. people are more likely to develope the things that MJ is trying to cure. Since my opponents case is basically what I have addressed above the only last thing to bring up is: Methylphenidate- known as Ritalin. My opponent by bringing this up has basically endorsed it I am now saying: Methylphenidate may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away: nervousness difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep dizziness nausea vomiting loss of appetite stomach pain diarrhea heartburn dry mouth headache muscle tightness uncontrollable movement of a part of the body restlessness numbness, burning, or tingling in the hands or feet decreased sexual desire painful menstruation And by my opponent saying that Queen Victoria used Meth(ritalin) for was to ease the pain of menstruation. As you the Judges can read it increases the pain of menstruation. Sources: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov... http://pr.cannazine.co.uk... my opponents case I do also want to say that by my opponent endorsing Methylphenidate they have just gone against what they have said in their ENTIRE case along with the Rebuttle. It is for the above reasons that I respectfully ask for a firm vote in negation of the resolution. Thanks again for leaving this debate open!

Title: Marijuana should be legalized for medical and recreational use. Content: I will be arguing that marijuana, not necessarily in it's smokeable form should be legal for persons over a yet to be determined age(18-21) for medical and recreational use. Con will argue that it shouldn't be legalized for any age in any form, for any reason. Any source can be used until that source has been proven false or unreliable. Please respect your opponent. Debate can be informal. Con may begin with his or her argument in the first round or accept. Any further rules must be discussed and agreed upon in the comments section. Thank you and good luck.

Title: Marijuana is a safer alternative to many medications Content: Philip Denney, MD, co-founder of a medical cannabis evaluation practice, stated the following in his Nov. 17, 2005, testimony to the Arkansas legislature in support of House Bill 1303: "An Act to Permit the Medical Use of Marijuana": "I have found in my study of these patients that cannabis is really a safe, effective and non-toxic alternative to many standard medications."

Title: Medical Marijuana is, on balance, an effective medicine Content: My opponent believes that I am not addressing his argument that marijuana is an effective medicine. I believe marijuana is an addictive drug and the claims that sometimes it is effective in reducing pain, nausea and vomiting are overstated and outweighed by its negative side effects (e.g., addictive property, cannabis-associated respiratory diseases, reduced cognitive processes, synaptic plasticity that weakens neuronal connections, increased use by teens who will believe it is OK to use even if not sick, etc.); whereas other drugs approved by the DEA and the FDA are much more effective and non-addictive, which is why there are approved as an effective medicine and pot is not. I also believe that a majority of the people who claim they need pot for medical reasons just want to get stoned legally! "Crunching the numbers; why I say almost all medical marijuana patients are faking it."Posted on November 15, 2012 http://edgogek.com...http://www.guardian.co.uk...http://www.cracked.com...My opponent also believes that legislative results are not relevant, a Red Herring, an Argumentum ad populum. But, he is overlooking the fact that legislators make their decisions based on their review of all the available medical evidence supporting the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. They decide whether that positive medical evidence is sufficient to outweigh all the negative aspects of marijuana, e.g., a six-fold increase in the incidence of schizophrenia, leukemia in children born from marijuana smoking mothers and damage to the growing fetus; addictive property, cannabis-associated respiratory disease, reduced cognitive processes, etc.My opponent"s claim that drug legalization results are irrelevant is a deductive fallacy. The only way medical marijuana can be used in any state or country legally is when the legislators agree with the alleged medical curative powers of that drug. Since most states (59%) and countries (74%) do not agree that marijuana has sufficient medicinal positive effects that outweigh the negative effects, they make it illegal, a pure and simple fact. Therefore, to say legalization is irrelevant is Reductio ad absurdum.He calls my use of drug legalization a "Red Herring." He obviously has no clue as to how to use that term correctly. The expression is mainly used to assert that the argument provided by an individual is not relevant to the issue being discussed. Again, the legislators review all available evidence as to the curative powers of a drug and its side-effects and decide whether that drug should be made legal, if they do not agree that drug is made illegal or not approved. So, it is totally relevant and is not a red herring.My opponent then calls my proof an Argumentum ad populum, which it is not. Now, if I had said that pot is bad because my 10 doctor friends said so or "that smoking is a healthy pastime, since millions do it, or that Angelina Jolie is the best-looking woman in the world because she is regularly voted as such", then I would be making an argumentum ad populum. http://en.wikipedia.org...However, the popular vote in the polls he cites is definitely Argumentum ad populum. Depending on how the polling question is phrased and the segments (e.g. young, old, pot users versus non-pot users) of the population polled, the results can vary. For example, if you phrase the question "Medical marijuana is very affective at stopping people going through chemotherapy from feeling nauseous and vomiting; do you think doctors should be allowed to prescribe it to help these poor sick suffering folks?" Many will say yes. But if you phrase the question, "Marijuana is a very addictive drug that is mind altering and has negative side-effects, but, it does help some cancer victims, as do many other safer drugs with minimal negative side-effects, do you think marijuana should be prescribe or the safer non-addictive drugs?" You will get very different results. Then my opponent states that regardless of any bias, I deserve to lose this debate because I have not posted one relevant argument except "marijuana is bad." What! Is my opponent not reading the con medical marijuana studies done by doctors and scientists that I have presented? Or, does he just not fully understand all the authoritative medical support I have presented because he is a teenager - 16 years-old, or does he just reject those con studies because they do not agree with his preconceived biased notions? Or, is my opponent just one of many teenagers that are not mature enough to understand and is already convinced because of all the argumenta ad populum that are tossed out by pathetic groups like Norml. Then my opponent brings up Marinol and claims it is less effective. Really, there are hundreds of studies and comments on this by hundreds of doctors. As usually, some are pro and some are con; but, most are pro other drugs and con medical marijuana. http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org...But, the most conclusive proof and the only one that counts in America is the research done by the US DEA - Drug Enforcement Administration and the FDA - Food and Drug Administration."Unlike smoked marijuana -- which contains more than 400 different chemicals, including most of the hazardous chemicals found in tobacco smoke -- Marinol has been studied and approved by the medical community and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the nation's watchdog over unsafe and harmful food and drug products." Secondly, the harmful chemicals and carcinogens that are byproducts of smoking create entirely new health problems. There are four-times the levels of tar in a marijuana cigarette, for example, than in a tobacco cigarette."Conclusion: I have presented a plethora of facts and references to studies done by doctors and scientists to nullify my opponent's weak argument that marijuana has a positive medical use. Marijuana is a very dangerous addictive drug that needs to be banned in America. There are no positive medical uses of marijuana that outweigh all its negative aspects, especially when there are much more effective and safer drugs that have been approved by the DEA and FDA, e.g., Marinol. And, the only red herrings and argumenta ad populum being thrown around are the unsupported statements and articles cited as proof by my pot smoking teenage opponent who hasn't attained the maturity necessary to even debate this subject. Stating that my opponent is too immature to debate this subject is not an ad holmium attack, just a fact; he is too young and immature being 16 years-of-age. The founding fathers of America were smart enough when drafting the US Constitution to include the minimum ages to hold offices in the House of Representatives (25), Senate (30) and President (35). They knew that only mature adults could be trusted to run the county, not teenagers or kids. They knew that important legislative decisions should not be left to teenagers. Because of our founding fathers' insightfulness, important decisions about our laws are made by mature adults, not teenagers. Maturity is critical to ensuring that correct decisions are made for America, especially when it concerns deciding if very addictive drugs with many adverse side-effects, like marijuana should be made legal for medicinal purposes. Unfortunately, too many states are caving into the popular sentiments of mainly pot-heads and pot-head organizations that are spreading lies about marijuana being a safe drug, instead of listening

Title: Medical Marijuana should be legal. Content: "A. Marijuana contains 60-70% more carcinogens than tobacco has. It increases the risk of cancer in people drastically"- dthmstr254 Ok first i would like to point out that there is countless studies that prove tobacco more cancer causing than marijuana. but i would also like you to be more specific. Are you trying to say that marijuana is more likely to give you foot cancer or lung cancer? On another note, medical marijuana does not have to be smoked which ultimately takes away any "risks" with lungs. "B. Marijuana is a known hallucinogen. It causes people to believe that they are actually in a different situation. However, unlike some drugs that can cause hallucinations (such as Kedamine, which is used in chronic pain sufferers to induce a coma, essentially rebooting the brain to relieve the pain), Marijuana's medical use is on an outpatient basis. Despite the warnings that show up for the FDA, people use the drug while driving or doing other things in life. This would mean that people are hallucinating while driving a car. I don't know about you, but I don't want to have a second go at avoiding a person w ho slams on reverse on a 40 MPH road (it turned out he was high on, guess what. .. Marijuana). " -dthmstr254 These claims are rare and eroneous. Yes marijuana is a hallucinogen, but thats exactly why some people use it for chronic pain. As an example: Vicodin, Oxycotten, Hydrocodone, and Percoset are all legal drugs used to reduce pain. These also to an extent are bad to drive with. People drive under the influence of them as well also ignoring the FDA. These people are just as likely to "slam on reverse on a 40 MPH road". So you are saying that medical marijuana should stay illegal because theres a chance someone will get behind the wheel when they cant handle it? If that is the case we should most certainly ban all prescription pain-killers. I obviously dont believe that but i think i got my point across. I would like to review my main points before i close up: A. Any cancer causing effects can be avoided because you dont have to smoke marijuana as it can be vaporized, eaten or simpily taken in a pill. B. The "risks" of safe driving is equal to or even less than that of a prescription pain-killer. Im awaiting your rebuttle with eager. Websites to refer to: . http://www.freerepublic.com... . http://www.sciencedaily.com...

Title: Medical Marijuana Content: Medical Marijuana is the future of medicine. Marijuana is classified as a Schedule I substance meaning it has the greatest potential for abuse with no medical value, according to the FDA. While the FDA doesn"t consider marijuana a medicine, 76 percent of doctors approve of medical marijuana use to help diagnose over 25 different conditions. Medical Marijuana is already legalized in 24 out of the 50 states in the US and the number is currently growing. For example, in Colorado, a state where Medical Marijuana is legalized, 1 in every 30 people are Medical Marijuana patients meaning they have a Medical Marijuana card allowing them to purchase their medicine from dispensaries. These are just a few numbers to prove the increase of Medical Marijuana use in America. Almost thirty percent of people suffer from pain or pain related symptoms every day. Physicians that can prescribe medical marijuana have found that they have prescribed about 1,826 fewer doses of drugs, such as opioids. As this topic grows and affects American culture, we have to decide what the right choice will be to help cure our loved ones. Medical Marijuana is also a short-term cure for cancer and is used for patients with autism. The family"s that have to go through these problems would do and try anything to help the pain and suffering of their loved ones. Doctor"s and families rely on Medical Marijuana to help alleviate pain, so why does the FDA want to stop the sales and distribution of Medical Marijuana?

Title: Marijuana should be legal for medical purposes. Content: Introduction I would like to start by thanking my opponent for responding. As he has stated that he is back home and can write more sophisticated arguments. I will now begin with mine: Rebuttals Pro has stated that he cannot deny the fact I have kindly placed before him. However, he has also stated that it is a matter of how one interprets the facts. I mostly beg to differ. It is true that you can interpret facts your own way, but only to a certain extent. There happens to be more cons than pros to medicinal marijuana, which stands to prove that I am correct. Pro stated that "[marijuana], when taken in moderation and with caution, can be beneficial for those who desperately need it." It is true, but doctors cannot always know if a patient will have a positive or negative reaction to it. Pro has assumed that I am not aware of the fact that medical marijuana does not have to be smoked. I am indeed aware of this. Moving on, I will talk about how Pro has continued to refer to the fact that these facts all have to do with how you interpret them. Again, this is true, but facts are facts. My opponent has admitted that the facts I gave are undeniable, however has continued to refer to interpretation. Lastly, I will refer to Pro's reference to what I stated about there being different cures to illnesses. He has said that "[f]or many illnesses, there are NO alternative cures." That happens to be false. We just have to find those cures. Conclusion As the viewers can see, I have given plenty of facts towards why it should not be legal to use marijuana for medicinal purposes. My opponent has accepted those facts, however slightly denies them. I will say one thing: Facts are facts and they cannot be denied. This debate is now in the hands of the voters. I have enjoyed this debate and hope to win.

Title: Marijuana should be legalized Content: In this round ill be arguing the health aspect of marijuana Marijuana is currently classified as a schedule 1 which is defined as A.The drug or other substance has a high potential for abuse. B.The drug or other substance has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States. C.There is a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug or other substance under medical supervision But how can this be when it is prescribed for so many things? Marijuana is a drug that is used to treat things such as cancer, dementia, diabetes, epilepsy, glaucoma, Tourette syndrome, multiple sclerosis, pain, nausea, anorexia, crohns disease, and hundreds of others illnesses. It is ready for use as soon as the plant matures and has no long term side effects. There has yet to be a proven connection to any of the illnesses marijuana has been rumored to cause. In fact it is the complete opposite that is true as research has shown as well as its growing support for legalization. The UK's Medicinal Cannabis Research Foundation published on its website in Nov. 2001: "Research to date suggests that research into the medicinal uses of cannabis and cannabinoids has the potential to make exciting breakthroughs in the management of severe symptoms such as pain, spasm, bladder dysfunction and nausea and could therefore bring a dramatic improvement in quality of life for people with: AIDS wasting syndrome Glaucoma Alzheimer's disease Hypertension Arthritis Multiple sclerosis Asthma Nail Patella Syndrome Brain injury/stroke Nausea w/chemotherapy Crohn's/colitis Pain Depress./mental ill. Phantom limb pain Eating disorders Migraine Epilepsy Spinal cord injury Fibromyalgia Tourette's syndrome" The short term side effects are: Loss of coordination and distortions in the sense of time, sleepiness, reddening of the eyes, increased appetite and relaxed muscles. There has yet to be any solid evidence provided by studies to prove long term side effects. "Still, in the last three years, more than 6,000 studies have been published in scientific journals about the cannabis plant, according to NORML, an organization that works to legalize marijuana. Much of the research has focused on the plant's effects on the body's endocannabinoid system. The endocannabinoid system acts like a bridge between mind and body, helping different types of cells communicate with each other. Our bodies make natural cannabinoids, or active chemicals that cause drug-like effects through the body, according to the National Cancer Institute. The main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana -- delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC -- works in the same way as these natural chemicals." Taken from CNN health The Boston Medical Center did a study and found that no negative health effects could be linked to marijuana http://www.the-scientist.com... A recent Gallup poll found 58% of people were for legalization http://youtu.be... Sources: http://www.youtube.com... http://www.youtube.com... http://www.youtube.com... http://youtu.be... http://youtu.be... http://youtu.be... http://youtu.be... http://youtu.be...

Title: Medical Marijuana Content: Full resolution: Medical Marijuana should be legalized in the United States of America. I will be affirming that medical marijuana should be legalized in the United States of America. This debate only pertains to medical marijuana, not marijuana in general.STRUCTURE:Round 1-AcceptanceRound 2-Cases/CON rebuttalRound 3-RebuttalRound 4-Conclusion/Summary Definitions:medical-curative; medicinal; therapeutic [1]marijuana-the most commonly used illicit drug; considered a soft drug, it consists of the dried leaves of the hemp plant; smoked or chewed for euphoric effect [2]I would like to thank 16kadams for agreeing to debate this topic. This should be a very fun and informative debate!Sources:1. http://dictionary.reference.com......2. http://www.thefreedictionary.com...

Title: Marijuana should not be legalized Content: "When Marijuana is used for a long period of time it would cause harmful effects on our body. " Name some, and then cite sources. "There are alternative drugs that are safer and have the same effects as medical marijuana would. " Name these. Cite sources. "Medical marijuana has not gone through enough patient safety testing and clinical efficancy trials. " Oh? . http://www.drugpolicy.org... . http://newmexicoindependent.com... . http://www.drugscience.org... Those are just a few from about two minutes of searching. "It is classified as a quote "Schedule 1" substance meaning high potential for abuse and no medical value. " Source this, and then provide a better explanation of how this has anything to do of why it should not be legalized. "Harmful effects: There are over 400 chemicals in the marijuana plant, the main one being HTC. Some immediate effects of this drug are a faster heart beat, reduction of short term memory and the reduction of concentration. " Note that these are short term effects and that they fade. "Long term users of the drug may become dependant on it. " Cite sources, and then construct a valid argument on how this should affect its legalization in any way. "Which means that they would have a hard time limiting usage of the drug. " Non-Sequitor. "Affect on schools: The earlier people start using drugs that they will likely start using more powerful drugs," Cite how this is relevant, or how it is factual. ". .causing young users not to do school work. " Non-sequitor. "Marijuana effects the ability to think, reading comprehension and verbal skills, When students are "high" they do not retain what is being taught to them. " Cite this. Also, these are, again, short term affects that wear off shortly after usage of marijuana. My opponent has not constructed any valid arguments with any valid sources.

Title: Medical Marijuana is, on balance, an effective medicine Content: I have looked at your arguments, and they appear centered around making marijuana legal, which will somehow stop drug trafficking, which is nonsense. And, even if somehow the US miraculously makes marijuana legal in all 50 states and D.C. (which will never happen), that does not mean we will have a drastic reduction in the money spent fighting drugs and related crimes, which you claim are trillions of dollars (it is actually significantly less than that per year - under $30 billion per year). We will still have to spend billions annually to stop all the illegally activities done by Mexican Drug Cartels including the sale of other drugs and tons of Mexican marijuana, which will still be distributed in the US. http://www.timeanddate.com... And, your belief that marijuana really isn't that bad of a drug or that addictive or that harmful is hardly supported by any reliable current medical research. Marijuana has a high potential for abuse; its use for medical purposes is under serious rebuke; and, there are no acceptable safety standards, even under medical supervision, for marijuana, which is why it is classified as a Schedule I substance. It may not be as addictive as heroin or cocaine, but it is still addictive and more readily available to children, which makes it a much more dangerous addictive drug that needs stricter controls - prohibition, not legalization for any reason! https://www.ncjrs.gov... And, prohibition along with other programs worked in China to stop opium addiction in 1956; so prohibition can work if done properly, like in China. http://www.sacu.org... 1.Your comment that marijuana comprises nearly 60% of all cartel profits is at least 2 to 4 times greater than the actual percentage according to a study done by the Rand Drug Policy Research Center; their study indicates that the actual percentage is from 15% to 26%. http://www.ycsg.yale.edu... "Some experts on organized crime in Latin America, like Edgardo Buscaglia, say that cartels earn just half their income from drugs." http://www.nytimes.com... You forgot to mention that Mexican Drug Cartels make billions from sex trafficking, extortion, stolen goods (even crude oil), kidnapping, etc. http://kosmo.hubpages.com... After booze probation ended in on December 5, 1933, did the Mafia end? Of course not! But, you think that if the sale of marijuana is somehow miraculously legalized in all 50 states, the Mexican and American gang cartels will just slowly fade away? Much of the Trillions (actually a few billion per year) you claim are spent by the US and state government fighting Drug Cartels is spent fighting organized crime in the USA " the Mafia and street gangs. 2.There are better ways of regulating the substance for the benefit of society. Really, what are they? Do you really think that licensing vendors in Washington State and Colorado or even all 50 states is going to stop the Mexican Cartels or local street distributors from going legitimate and getting licenses or intimating legal vendors buying from them? Do you actually think they will stop trying to sell drugs? Do you actually think that American marijuana connoisseurs will stop buying high quality Mexican dope? How exactly are the growing and selling of American marijuana going to be controlled at the wholesale and retail levels? Then there is the issue of the limited amount of marijuana that one can have in one"s possession at one time, which is 1 ounce in Washington and Colorado (1 ounce and 6 plants). Won't local, State, and Federal law enforcement agencies still have to monitor that and arrest people for violations? And, there will still be tons (pun intended) of violations. As I stated in another blog, most of the people in prison for drugs are not the casual marijuana users - they are violent drug dealing, or drug addicted criminals (who started stealing and doing other crimes to feed their addictions). http://www.prisonpolicy.org... How will the government control that? Will it work like prescription drugs? You can't get a refill on most prescriptions until the quantity, usually 30-90 pills runs outs. This is especially true of prescriptions that are considered a narcotic, which are usually limited to 30 pills at once, even sleep-aid drugs like Temazepam. You try to refill it before 25 days or earlier and the pharmacist will tell you that it is too early and you have to wait. So, the pharmacist would have to tell the marijuana user that they bought 1 ounce ten days ago or whatever time period is legally allowed and it is too early to buy another ounce, you will have to wait. Do you really think most pot smokers will accept those type controls? So will all the vendors in Colorado and Washington have to be set-up like pharmacies with a vast computerized system to track marijuana sales? Or, better yet, only pharmacies can distribute marijuana. This would save money because the drug tracking system is already in place. And, if it is considered medical marijuana then the insurance coverage could be verified and the pot would be free or with small co-pay. That is a great idea; but, I bet you don't like that, or do you? But again, how many marijuana users will want to be tracked in a computerized system? You are going to say now, they don't need to be, right? Actually, what has happened in Portugal and the Netherlands is that many drug users still buy their marijuana and other illegal drugs illegally from drug dealers because they can buy in larger amounts. Then there is the issue of the strength and price of the marijuana. Will the weed sold by the licensed vendors be strong enough and cheap enough? If not, many users will still buy from the local drug dealers. There would be a price war between legal American marijuana vendors and illegal dealers. Even if the marijuana is strong and cheap enough, probably most folks will not want their marijuana use tracked by the government, and they will buy the marijuana illegally from the Mexican drug cartel dealers in the US. So, your alternative system fails every time. Tougher criminal sanctions and more drug education are needed, e.g., life in jail for all drug dealers - even first offenders, mandatory drug classes starting in 1st grade, mandatory neighborhood study groups about the evils of marijuana, which is how China solved it opium problem by 1956. Allowing marijuana to be grown legally in the US is not the answer. And, you make this point that marijuana use reached its peak in 1979. Yes, I saw that study by Norml; but, so what? Dec. 19, 2012 -- A new survey shows marijuana use by teens remains high, and officials say it will probably increase as a result of Washington and Colorado decriminalizing the drug last month. "Based on what we know ... we are predicting that it"s going to go up," says Nora Volkow, MD, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse. "Just the fact that there are some states that have made it legal ... will send a message" to teens throughout the country. "Already, the proportion of teens who consider marijuana to be harmful is the lowest it"s been in decades, according to the 2012 "Monitoring the Future" survey of eighth, 10th, and 12th graders. The annual survey of teen drug use is conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan." http://teens.webmd.com... The Federal Prohibition on Marijuana needs to remain and more education is needed starting in 1st grade to explain the evils of smoking pot, doing any illegal drugs, and Alcohol abuse. This needs to be a required class, in all grades - 1 through 12. Our children should be taught that "Clean and Sober" is the best way to live life.

Title: Marijuana should be legalized for medical and recreational use. Content: Hello, my name is dtien and I accept your challenge.

Title: Medical Marijuana Content: IntroductionI would like to begin by thanking my opponent for proffering this debate to me. It is a controversial topic and shall be an interesting one.ArgumentsFacts: Here is a list of things medical marijuana is used for: 1. AIDS treatment 2. Glaucoma 3. Nausea and vomiting 4. Nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy 5. Pain caused by certain physiological disorders 6. Treatment of multiple sclerosis 7. Symptoms of Parkinson’s disease 8. Appetite stimulant for malnutrition 9. Treatment of epilepsy 10. Migraine headaches Why it should not be used: However, according to webmd.com, "cannabinoids in marijuana can weaken the immune system", "long-term use of marijuana can make lung problems worse", "marijuana might make seizure disorders worse in some people [(in other people it might help to control seizures)]", and "it might slow the central nervous system too much when combined with anesthesia and other medications during and after surgery (WEBMD)." Here are some other common side effects of using marijuana for medicinal purposes: Drowsiness, dry mouth, giddiness, hunger, insomnia, red eyes, respiratory issues, short-term memory loss, and uneasiness or anxiety (Southwest Medical Evaluation Center).As 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.ConclusionIn 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. I patiently await my opponent's rebuttals.Works Cited"MARIJUANA: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions and Warnings - WebMD." WebMD. WebMD. Web. 13 Mar. 2014. <http://www.webmd.com...;."Medical Marijuana Side Effects - Effects of Medical Marijuana." Medical Marijuana Side Effects - Effects of Medical Marijuana. Web. 14 Mar. 2014. <http://www.evaluationtoday.com...;.

Title: Medical Marijuana Content: It has been proven that medical marijuana can be safe and effective for treating cancer, AIDS, multiple sclerosis, pain, epilepsy, glaucoma, and other conditions as well. Marijuana is actually less toxic then many of the medicines and drugs that doctors prescribe today to relieve the same symptoms. The tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) contained in this plant, along with many other cannabinoids, cause relief unlike any other drug.

Title: Medical Marijuana is, on balance, an effective medicine Content: The evidence for my case will be mainly in my rebuttals; if not solely done there. The effectiveness of marijuana—a hoax? My opponent makes a two pronged attack: first, medical marijuana has few, if any, benefits; and second marijuana’s smoke aspect makes the drugs costs outweigh the (in his argument) small benefits. I will refute these accordingly. a) Marijuana has few benefits – status: false This argument is simply false. There is mounting evidence to the contrary, that medical marijuana has a plethora of benefits. Even though the NIDA and other organizations have attempted to block medical marijuana research, it still seems to get published. A 2010 study by the University of California, using methodology that meets the standards of the FDA, has found marijuana should be a first line treatment for those with neuropathy illness. What is also interesting is a plethora of other studies replicate these findings, and the AMA (which my opponent noted in 1987 opposed medical marijuana) is actively considering removing it as a Schedule 1 controlled substance and may possibly change their opinion on the issue. Yes, that’s how much evidence has occurred since 1987 proving my opponents assumption quite weak [1]. Further, research by German scholars has obtained similar results as the University of California study. Since 2005, 37 studies with strong methodologies (that usually exceeds FDA standards) have strongly supported the medical marijuana benefit theory [2]. 37 studies showing success is actually much more than most of our drugs; indeed, most FDA approved drugs have far fewer studies and trials supporting their benefits. It seems as though the failure to accept these studies is likely ideological. Further, other studies from Californian professors have been set up by the University of California Medicinal Cannabis Research center overwhelmingly support the conclusion that medical marijuana has large benefits. Starting out asking whether or not marijuana is helpful, their research now is more on the side of how large are these benefits. Although they welcome dissenting opinion, the research strongly indicates marijuana is a strong pain killer, cancer fighter, and is capable of healing many diseases we never would have expected when the Center was created. The Center noted in a brief presented in front of the California legislature, they presented multiple studies, but one that jumped out to me was marijuana’s effectiveness as a pain killer: 46% of the respondents in the study reported marijuana to reduce their pain by 30%. There is also growing evidence that marijuana helps cure cancer and other diseases [3]. Let’s look into history as well. Ancient China is known for using medical marijuana in its medical practices, and many other ancient countries (India, and the Middle East) were also known for using hemp for medical purposes. Recent studies claim medical marijuana relieves pain, this should be of no surprise; Chinese doctors reported their patients to have painless surgery when using cannabis medicines. Also on a side note: the Iliad references cannabis usage. There is undeniable proof that marijuana is a pain killer, and a cure or many diseases, based on historical texts [4]. My opponent cites a colleague who is healing cancer without marijuana. And that’s great, but irrelevant. I am not saying you need medical marijuana to heal cancer, for example: I would not use it because I am asthmatic. There are many other reasons. But marijuana can speed the process. It’s like saying Advil is not helpful because I got rid of a headache without it. Well, yes, you did, but that does not mean Advil would have been helpful in the process. Needing a substance (or the ability to use it for certain parts of the population) is irrelevant to its effectiveness. b) The smoke outweighs the benefits – status: false The smoke is obviously not good for you, but its harms are likely exaggerated. The only harm that the Institute of Medicine 1999 report could identify was the loss of psychomotor performance, which means the patients should merely avoid motor equipment [5]. Further, animal studies find the amount of THC needed to be a fatal dose is almost impossible to consume, making the chance for overdose unlikely. It has also been noted when taking the prescribed dosages of marijuana; the chance of getting lung cancer is actually slightly lower because marijuana kills cancerous cells, which includes lung cancer cells. Most diseases marijuana supposedly causes (though it is unproven) have more evidence that it cures them, not exacerbates the problem [6]. Indeed, the marijuana – cancer link is deteriorating in the science, and evidence is starting to show marijuana has no linkage to cancer [7]. And I reiterate: with no evidence that marijuana causes cancer, and evidence showing it cures it, there is little reason to think my opponent’s argument is correct. CONCLUSION: My opponent offers a thesis that marijuana has few benefits and the smoking aspect does more harm than good. Although smoking likely has some health hazards (especially for asthmatics and pregnant women), the hazards aren’t large enough to disqualify marijuana as a medicine. Other pain killers harm other organs, so even if it is proven marijuana smoke is deadly in the long run it does not mean marijuana as a medicine is bad. If we were to say “marijuana hurts people, ban it” then almost every prescription medication would need to be banned. Those medicines benefits outweigh their harms; I have proven the same applies to medical marijuana. Due to the fact robust research proves my side [1][2][3][5][6], I urge a vote for pro. 1. . http://norml.org... 2. . http://www.cannabis-med.org... 3. . http://www.cmcr.ucsd.edu... 4. . http://druglibrary.org... 5. Janet E. Joy, Stanley J. Watson, Jr. , and John A Benson, Jr. , "Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base," Division of Neuroscience and Behavioral Research, Institute of Medicine (Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 1999). 6. . http://www.drugwarfacts.org... 7. . http://healthland.time.com...

Title: Marijuana should be legalized for medical and recreational use. Content: I just want to say that marijuana, while proven to have some negative side effects, are nothing compared to another recreational drug, alcohol. The side effects of marijuana are often temporary, and can be reduced to none when the drug is no longer in the users system. Marijuana as a medicine is often much safer than the legal counterparts, prescription drugs. Side effects from prescription drugs often include death, organ failure, etc.

Title: Should marijuana be legalized for medical purposes Content: About this debate:Welcome to my debate. As you can see you and I will be debating whether the legalization of marijuana should be used for medical purposes (only). Not only should marijuana be used to cure cancer, but also various other diseases.Rules: 1. No profanities2. No plagiarism3. Forfeiture causes disqualifications.Rounds: Round #1: Acceptance from opponentRound #2: ArgumentsRound #3: Rebuttals Round #4: Conclusion/Summary

Title: Medical Cannabis Content: Cannabis has been used as a medicine for the longest time. Recently, cannabis has became illegal in many parts of the world. However, I do not believe cannabis deserves it's legal status and it has high medicinal value and is realitvely safe if used properly. My opponent of this debate will try to disprove Cannabis's medicinal potential and show why it should not be used as a medicine. There are no exceptions to this.

Title: Medical Marijuana Should Not Be Legalized. Content: NOTICE: This debate is apart of the Revive DDO Debate Competition. RESOLUTION: Marijuana Should Not Be Legalized For Use As Medicine or for Medical Purposes.

Title: Medical marijuana dispensaries Content: Due to low addiction rates, marijuana is good for medical use.

Title: Should marijuana be legalized for medical purposes Content: I accept your argument. This should be interesting.

Title: Medical marijuana should be legal Content: I still await my opponent's argument.

Title: Medical as well as recreational marijuana should be legal in all US states Content: The matter of legalizing medical marijuana is an important issue for several reasons. From the data observed in the link below [1] there are currently 23 states with laws legalizing marijuana, some still more restrictive than others. This of course is a significant step in the right direction. However, I believe that all states should follow the examples of Alaska, Colorado, Washington and Oregon to legalize not only cannabis for medicinal usage but also for recreational consumption. I will list my reasons further below. Before doing so I would like to specifically define the meanings of marijuana itself and respectively medical and recreational cannabis to avoid any confusions or misunderstandings. Marijuana is defined as "a commonly used illegal drug made from dried leaves of the hemp plant" and "a strong-smelling plant from whose dried leaves a number of euphoriant and hallucinogenic drugs are prepared." Marijuana goes by many other names such as cannabis, hemp, weed etc. [2] Medical marijuana is defined as the usage of marijuana for medical or medicinal purposes. [3] [4] Recreational marijuana is defined as any other recreational drug which is described as "a drug (as cocaine, marijuana, or methamphetamine) used without medical justification for its psychoactive effects often in the belief that occasional use of such a substance is not habit-forming or addictive." [6] I acknowledge the many different types of marijuana that exists for different purposes, most, I understand, are hybrids made for different specific medical needs. However I do not know enough on the subject of them, their effects and upsides as well as downsides. I would therefore appreciate if this debate could be exclusively on the matters of the aforementioned descriptions of cannabis, medical and recreational. Now I will present my arguments as to why I believe medical and recreational marijuana should be legalized in all US states.R32;R32;First of all I would like to point out that there is no scientific background with evidence as to exactly why marijuana was classified as a Schedule I drug in the first place. The definition of a Schedule 1 drug from the Drug Enforcement Administration itself clearly states, that "Schedule I drugs, substances, or chemicals are defined as drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse."[6] This definition leaves no room for doubt that no Schedule 1 drug has any medical use. However it has been a known fact for centuries that cannabis has been used for medical purposes with positive effects. This can easily be found true when looking at many different sources. Here I have merely linked one. [7]R32;The National Institute on Drug Abuse also states that there are medical benefits from marijuana. [8] R32;There can be many reasons as to why marijuana was classified the way it was and still has not been re-classified but that is a completely different debate. Here are links with possible explanations that no matter what do not justify why it was classified so harshly. [9] [10] R32;All in all, there can be no doubts that this classification of marijuana is deeply illogical and misleading. Second, I would like to stress that America would merit tremendously from the economic profits caused by legalizing marijuana. It can be no surprise to any logical thinking creature that America spends enormous sums of money on dealing with and prohibiting crime related to illegal marijuana sales and consumptions. All of this money would of course not be spent if marijuana was legalized. In stead I propose that all states start off like Oregon, Alaska, Washington and Colorado by legalizing recreational marijuana as well. These states all have different laws that specifically suits them and I believe this is a good way to start. R32;R32;The legalization of medical as well as recreational marijuana would be the only solution to properly profit economically from the marijuana businesses that are currently not legal. This is because these businesses will probably still exist if only medicinal marijuana was legalized. [11] [12] Third and last I believe, as mentioned, that marijuana should be legalised for recreational use. This is because I believe in every individual"s right to care for him or herself"s own health and decide what is best. Especially when it comes to smoking tobacco or marijuana for pleasure. I am aware of the fact that marijuana has other effects than regular tobacco smoking. However tobacco smoking is the leading cause of preventable death here in America and I do not see how it in any aspect is justifiable, that tobacco smoking has no legal restrictions when a harmless plant such as cannabis is classified as a schedule 1 drug and illegal in most states. [13] I believe that cannabis should be legalized for medical and recreational use. Of course all sale should be done by an approved salesperson to ensure and uphold a certain safety. This will still leave room for illegal sales but not in the same measure as it is now. I am not trying to say that tobacco smoking should be classified as a schedule 1 drug as well. I am saying that the laws making marijuana illegal are so illogical that I am astonished this can happen in a well educated country in the 21st century. http://www.governing.com... https://www.vocabulary.com... http://criminal-law.freeadvice.com... https://www.leafly.com... http://www.merriam-webster.com... http://www.dea.gov... http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com... https://www.drugabuse.gov... http://www.ibtimes.com... http://www.drugwarrant.com... http://www.dailydot.com... http://www.huffingtonpost.com... http://www.cdc.gov...

Title: Marjiuana should be legal Content: My opponent did not say "Medical Marijuana should be legalized. " He simply said that Marijuana should be legal. While I do not find this completely fair, he has not broken any written rules. I am Con Marijuana, Pro medical Marijuana. Therefore I will be playing somewhat of the devils advocate. Just because something feels good to people who are sick, is not a reason to legalize it. Marijuana is proven to be a dangerous drug. Some of the short term effects are: 1. Distorted perception (sights, sounds, time, touch). 2. Problems with memory and learning. 3. Loss of coordination. 4. Trouble with thinking and problem-solving. 5. Increased heart rate, reduced blood pressure. There are many reasons why these things can be bad, I will go through them one by one as quickly as I can. 1. Distorted perception (sights, sounds, time, touch). This is very dangerous, the reason is because people will take the drug and drive at the same time. Car accidents will go through the roof. This is an example of death with Marijuana. What people like to do is say that no one has died because of Marijuana. Well, no one has died of a cell phone, yet many people die from talking while driving. 2. Problems with memory and learning. Children these days already are failing in school. Why would we want to add to that? They need all the memory and learning they can get. 3. Loss of coordination. This corresponds with number one. More accidents, more deaths. 4. Trouble with thinking and problem-solving. This also corresponds with number two. But not only for kids, people need all the brain power they can get. 5. Increased heart rate, reduced blood pressure. Some people do not even know that they have a bad heart. Marijuana could hurt these people. It would be no use to use on most sick patients. Lots of them have a bad heart. Many people who take the drug for medical purposes get addicted to it. Many people do not get addicted to it, but there are some that do. There are also many other dangerous effects. Like sleepiness, an altered sense of time and space, hallucinations, delusions, disorientation. Marijuana contains more than 400 different chemicals; this is bad for obvious reasons. Marijuana also can lead to lung and/or throat cancer. (Again, they don't die of Marijuana, just cancer. ) Your father's theory sounds good, but there can not be a law based off of it. Just because 8 out of 10 people say that there is a KFC on the moon does not make it true. Something else to consider, there would be a major increase in health problems. Therefore, there would be a major increase in the cost of health care. No one in any country wants this. I will stop here for now and look forward to your response. May the force, again. AND I AM YOUR FATHER! !! ! SOURCES: (1). . http://faculty.washington.edu...

Title: Cannabis should be legalised. Content: You have brought up the medical issue, and so I will debate that, although I would support legalisation of cannabis even if it did not have medical properties. I apologise for perhaps sounding arrogant here, but it is indisputable that cannabis has many powerful medicinal uses. A 2002 review of medical literature by Franjo Grotenhermen states that medical cannabis has established effects in the treatment of nausea, vomiting, premenstrual syndrome, unintentional weight loss, insomnia, and lack of appetite. Other "relatively well-confirmed" effects were in the treatment of "spasticity, painful conditions, especially neurogenic pain, movement disorders, asthma, [and] glaucoma".[1] Having proven that cannabis does indeed have significant medical application, I must now address your demand to 'think of the children'. Firstly, cannabis is not legal in California, it has been decriminalised - cannabis is legal in Colorado and Washington. Secondly, you have cited 'anecdotal evidence', which is not really evidence at all. Can I see a source documenting this decrease in IQ? Studies have shown that more than 70% of American teenagers think that it is easy to obtain cannabis, while about 40% of Dutch teenagers think that it is easy to obtain cannabis. [2] As you may know, cannabis is sold in special outlets called 'coffeeshops' in the Netherlands - cannabis is 'tolerated' there and may be sold in a quasi-legal way. I think these figures show that making cannabis legal in America would not have an effect on teenage use of cannabis, because cannabis is already available to more students than actually use it, as cannabis use is definitely lower than 70% in America. Furthermore, legalising cannabis would take dealers off the streets - they would not be able to compete with licensed dispensaries. Drug dealers don't check the age of their customers, but dispensaries certainly would. Of course, older people would still buy cannabis for young people (e.g. older brothers buying for younger), but as I have argued, it is already highly available to anyone who wants to use it. To develop the point further, students who would come to school intoxicated are likely the kind of students who would not learn much in any case. I would also like to point you to a study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal which concluded that "marijuana does not have a long-term negative impact on global intelligence".[3] So, if cannabis does have medicinal use, and its legality does not appear to lead to a decrease in IQ, what other reasons do you have for prohibiting it? My argument in favour of legalising it is as follows: I believe J.S. Mill was correct when he stated in his essay "On Liberty" that "Over himself, over his own body and mind, the individual is sovereign". The use of cannabis does not cause direct harm to others, and so it should be permitted as a matter of individual freedom. You may wish to claim that cannabis 'destroys lives' and therefore 'causes misery for that individual's family', but this is nonsensical. Cannabis is not physically addictive, and is therefore only addictive in the same sense that collecting stamps and eating chalk can be, so I doubt that it has the capability to 'ruin lives' in itself, and furthermore, harm cannot be measured in this way. If the son of a grotesquely homophobic father comes out as gay, leading his father to extreme rage and depression, it cannot be said that the son has done something morally wrong. Likewise, if someone decides to spend their life working in menial positions and smoking cannabis every day, the chagrin of the parents is irrelevant to whether that behaviour should be permissible. What can 'ruin lives' in a far more damaging way is that people are prosecuted for the cannabis-related crimes. These should not be crimes, for the reason I have argued above, and yet having a criminal record causes severe and lasting damage to someone's life, preventing people from being employed and causing disastrous damage to someone's mental state. Edward Thornber, a promising young man, committed suicide after being summoned to court over "0.50 worth of cannabis found in his possession. [4] Admittedly, the article does say that he was prosecuted with erroneous severity, but the matter should not have been anything more than the confiscation of the cannabis and a notification to his parents. It is also incredibly important to note the fiscal benefits of legalising cannabis. The government spends a great amount of money prosecuting cannabis users and dealers, instead, they could be increasing their revenue by selling the cannabis responsibly. This would kill two birds with one stone, as criminal gangs rely heavily on drug money to justify their existence - removing cannabis from their income would deal a great blow to them, as cannabis is one of the most popular recreational drugs. Finally, the THC:CBD (two substances found in cannabis, and believed to be responsible for most of the effects) ratio is very important, and could be controlled were cannabis a regulated plant. Doses of pure THC can cause transient (i.e. temporary) symptoms of psychosis in people, yet CBD eliminates this effect as it is an anti-psychotic. Some forms of cannabis have very little CBD, and this may be causing unnecessary harm. If the government regulated cannabis so that the THC:CBD ratio was labelled on the cannabis, cannabis would be even more safe to use, as I believe the vast majority of users would choose cannabis which had protective levels of CBD, because not only is it 'healthier', but it is also more pleasurable to most users. [5] [1] Grotenhermen, Franjo (2002). "Review of Therapeutic Effects". Cannabis and Cannabinoids: Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutic Potential. New York City: Haworth Press. p. 124. ISBN 978-0-7890-1508-2. [2] http://www.eastbayexpress.com... [3] Fried, P.; Watkinson, B.; James, D.; Gray, R. (2002). "Current and former marijuana use: Preliminary findings of a longitudinal study of effects on IQ in young adults". CMAJ : Canadian Medical [4] http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk... [5] http://www.brainwaving.com...

Title: Medical Marijuana should be legal. Content: I was looking at your profile, and i saw that you think that medical marijuana should not be legal. I disagree but i want to know why you believe that medical marijuana is unsuitable to be legal in the us. And a debate will follow. It is currently used to make peoples with diseases better, so i dont see why not.

Title: Marijuana Should Be Legal For Medicinal Purposes Content: It appears this debate has become principally focused on the medical benefits of marijuana as opposed to its potential dangers; therefore, whether or not I am able to sustain the resolution of this debate will depend primarily on my ability to demonstrate that marijuana's medicinal advantages outweigh it's downfalls.Sustaining the Medicinal Advantages of Marijuana:Cancer:I have provided various authoritative research studies, all of which confirm marijuana's ability to prevent and/or treat a number of cancers, including breast, brain, and lung cancer [1] [2] [3]. As my sources state, such studies have been conducted by respected universities and esteemed researchers.Multiple Sclerosis:I have effectively demonstrated through authoritative research that marijuana helps individuals suffering from multiple sclerosis by decreasing spastic movement and pain [4]. Alzheimer's:I have provided evidence that marijuana has been found to inhibit amyloid plaque (a primary pathological marker) much more effectively than other currently medically approved substances, thereby providing significant help for people suffering from Alzheimer's [5].Arthritis:By presenting authoritative research, I have demonstrated that marijuana possesses the ability to help arthritis sufferers with their pain [6].Chronic Pain:I have provided strong evidence that marijuana helps with pain in general, most importantly chronic pain [7].Other Benefits:I have provided research demonstrating that marijuana helps prevent and/or treat glaucoma, epileptic seizures, anxiety, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, muscle tension, muscle spasm, insomnia, and inflammatory bowel disease [8] [9].Addressing the Potential Dangers of Marijuana:Cancer:The only kind of cancer my opponent cites as a potential danger of marijuana is related to marijuana smoke. I've stated numerous times that such a point is moot, seeing as how marijuana need not be consumed through smoking. My opponent states that I have dropped this point, but I have done no such thing; rather, I have provided strong evidence to counter my opponent's claims.Heart Disease:As far as I could find, the source my opponent has provided says nothing of marijuana, only cocain. My opponent also states that my source link does not lead to the information I've provided, which is true; I'm not entirely sure what happened to my link and I apologize for the inconvenience -- the information can be found at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.... Again, my source states that "a large cohort study showed no association of marijuana use with cardiovascular disease hospitalization or mortality," thereby refuting my opponent's claim. Immune System Deficiency:Again, the assertion that marijuana poses threats to the immune system is simply not supported by the evidence. Dr. Leo E. Hollister, Professor of Psychiatry and Pharmacology at the University of Texas Medical School has reported in a research study published in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs that:"The evidence [on immune suppression] has been contradictory and is more supportive of some degree of immunosuppression only when one considers in vitro studies. These have been seriously flawed by the very high concentrations of drug used to produce immunosuppression. The closer that experimental studies have been to actual clinical situations, the less compelling has been the evidence [10]."Birth Defects:My opponent criticizes my source for being biased, despite the fact that he has continually used heritage.org as a source (a website whose express purpose is to propagate conservative thinking).My source quotes information reported from the National Academy of Sciences, which states that no evidential links between marijuana and birth defects have been found [11]. Although norml.org seek to legalize marijuana, it uses unbiased, peer-reviewed sources and research to accomplish its purposes.Psychological Side-Effects:Although I've conceded to the argument that paranoia is a potential side-effect of marijuana, I uphold my position that there is currently no conclusive evidence demonstrating a link between marijuana use and schizophrenia. As Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Hawaii at Manoa's Dr. Jason Schiffman states in an article published in Psychiatric Research, "the onset of schizotypal symptoms generally precedes the onset of cannabis use. The findings do not support a causal link between cannabis use and schizotypal traits [12]."Carcinogens:Again, this is only a problem assuming one consumes marijuana through smoking. There a many ways to consume marijuana which do not include smoking, and therefore this point is moot.Problems with Crime:Any prescription drug faces problems with crime. Is my opponent asserting that a beneficial substance should be withheld from suffering individuals simply because criminals would do the same thing with it that they do with nearly all other prescription drugs?Conclusion:Marijuana is not a miracle drug. It does not heal everything, nor does it come without some undesirable side-effects; however, the simple fact of the matter is that most medications in general exhibit the same limited capabilities. The case I have attempted to make in this debate is that marijuana is just as suitable a medication as many other legal medicinal substances, and it therefore deserves to be considered as a serious candidate for medical legalization.I believe I have provided compelling, peer-reviewed scientific evidence of marijuana's ability to treat numerous conditions while only presenting minor or otherwise reasonable side-effects; for this, I encourage the voters to vote Pro.I further apologize for the relatively brief nature of this post (then again, perhaps you are thanking me for it :P). Seeing as how I am preparing to celebrate the new year, I have tried to keep this short; however, I believe I have managed to sufficiently communicate my case, both in this post and previous ones.I would like to thank my opponent for his contributions to this debate. I greatly appreciate his arguments, and extend my utmost sincere gratitude to him for helping to make this an enlightening and intellectually stimulating debate.Lastly, I would like to wish both my opponent, the readers, and the voters a happy new year!________________________________________________________________________________________________[1] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov... [2] http://www.medicalnewstoday.com...[3] http://www.sciencedaily.com...[4] http://www.reuters.com...[5] http://www.msnbc.msn.com...[6] http://www.huffingtonpost.com...[7] http://www.webmd.com...[8] http://health.howstuffworks.com...[9] http://www.businessinsider.com...[10] http://web.acsalaska.net...[11] http://norml.org...[12] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov...

Title: Medical as well as recreational marijuana should be legal in all US states Content: In this round, I plan to rebut my opponent's arguments from round 1 and possibly answer his question from then end of his round 2.Section 1: Legalizing marijuana isn't necessarily important, its more a matter of opinion. I believe that we have more concerning matters to deal with, other than legalize a drug. What to do with the illegal immigrants and whether or not we should raise the minimum wage are more important issues than an insignificant drug which has always done more damage than good. Also a drug that kills people. People say that marijuana doesn't kill people, but it does. Its made out of hemp (cannabis) which has a history of killing people, which is why people have began to call it cannabis. Its' funny though. Everyone is saying that the drug is being legalized for medical purposes, but its the medical field trying to stand against it. The medical field keeps warning everyone that cannabis is deadly and bad. It kills 30,000 people a year. The drug can cause cancer, lung disease and terribly mental illnesses. Not to mention a user is up to 6 times more likely to develop schizophrenia. This is not something anyone in their right mind would want legalized. http://www.dailymail.co.uk...Section 2: Research that has been performed shows that since we can't get a good revenue for marijuana, the tax will probably be high. This would give more money to the government sure, but that might not be so good for the overall economy.http://dfaf.org...Section 3: If people believe that damaging their IQ, memory, health and mental state is something that's good for them, then go for it. These are the kinds of decisions that the last generation has been trying to teach this new generation, especially since we're graduating high school and going off into the real world. But like I said at the beginning of this round, its a matter of personal opinion. Section 4: That may be so, but from talking to a foreign exchange student from the Netherlands in my school, they're expecting a major decrease in their education. Also, even though they've legalized marijuana, it can only be sold in coffee shops, they can't legally grow it privately and they're only allowed to have a max of 5 grams.http://420intel.com...I apologize for not posting longer rebuts. I was having technical difficulties with my network, so just being on this site was complicated enough. This is a before and after picture for the use of marijuana.

Title: medical marijuana Content: this is a debate on the promotion of marijuana for medicinal usage. claims of marijuana's medical benefits are dangerously misleading in a way that mirrors classic cigarette ads in which doctors would speak of the health benefits of cigarettes. we now all know how silly this claim is because all smoke is harmful no matter what kind of smoke it is. all you have to do to prove this is blow pot smoke directly into a white napkin and if done right, you will see brown residue left behind. its time to stop this cliche lie that smoking is not bad for you. if you want to legalize marijuana for recreational purposes, fine but dont mislead people into thinking that it will help their illness, when it will only hurt them, that is just wrong. medical marijuana has taken the place of snake oil remedies that scam artists used to sell on the street by falsely advertising it as a cure all. im not denying that the chemicals in marijuana such as THC may have benefits, but selling the actual plant its self to be smoked is absurd. no other medicinal drug is smoked for obvious reasons, which shows us how much of a joke medical marijuana is. people who want smoked medical marijuana are a discredit to people who actually need the benefits of the the drug. these people would be more than happy to take the plant in pill or liquid form, but the ones who refuse to take it in pill form are just looking to get high and want the cool factor of the smoke. some people who think they need the drug for medicinal purposes are actually just abusing it, because someone might also believe that a few shots of alcohol in the morning also makes them feel better, but we aren't calling alcohol an alternative medicine. another problem with smoked medical marijuana is that others can inhale the 2nd hand smoke which is unhealthy and may involuntarily impair them. no other medicinal drug has this problem, and tricking people into believing that smoked marijuana will help them is just as bad as making the same claim for alcohol or tobacco. also, i understand that you can cook with/ eat marijuana which is better for you but when you sell the plant its self, theres no way to stop people from smoking it. it also allows them to grow it, which wouldnt benefit society with tax revenue. especially because you can literally grow marijuana in a closet and no one would ever know if you bought the weed youre smoking or if you grew it. in conclusion, if you want to legalize marijuana for recreational purposes, thats one thing but dont call it a medicine.

Title: Should Marijuana Be Legalized for Medicinal Use Content: I find it absurd to think that there are people in the world who think that marijuana has no medicinal benefits to patience with such diseases as Cancer, Glaucoma, Multiple Sclerosis, and Cerebral Palsy. I feel strongly that the use of cannabis should not only be legalized but encouraged in cases where it could actually help. My uncle was diagnosed with MS 9 years ago and slowly his body started to deteriorate from the inside. He became unstable in his walking ability and the pain from the deterioration caused him to have extreme difficulty sleeping. Once he was prescribed Marijuana he called my father in tears of happiness, for the medicine had allowed him not only to walk with complete balance, but even to jog. Upon use of his medical Cannabis in the evenings he was able to sleep without any problems. Now as the disease has progressed his walking has become even more unbalanced but there is no denying that the Marijuana still helps him manage the searing pain from the deterioration of his nerves. Cannabis still allows my uncle to sleep through the night without having to worry about waking in the middle of the night in terrible and excruciating pain. This herb has made the life of a terminally ill person that much easier, and how dare anyone deny him this right. It is ludicrous to think that the federal government wishes not only to deny him the right to a less painful way of life but they also wish to arrest him and others in similar positions for simply wishing to live as much of a pain free life as possible.

Title: Should Marijuana Be Legalized For Medicinal Use Content: I find it absurd to think that there are people in the world who think that marijuana has no medicinal benefits to patience with such diseases as Cancer, Glaucoma, Multiple Sclerosis, and Cerebral Palsy. I feel strongly that the use of cannabis should not only be legalized but encouraged in cases where it could actually help. My uncle was diagnosed with MS 9 years ago and slowly his body started to deteriorate from the inside. He became unstable in his walking ability and the pain from the deterioration caused him to have extreme difficulty sleeping. Once he was prescribed Marijuana he called my father in tears of happiness, for the medicine had allowed him not only to walk with complete balance, but even to jog. Upon use of his medical Cannabis in the evenings he was able to sleep without any problems. Now as the disease has progressed his walking has become even more unbalanced but there is no denying that the Marijuana still helps him manage the searing pain from the deterioration of his nerves. Cannabis still allows my uncle to sleep through the night without having to worry about waking in the middle of the night in terrible and excruciating pain. This herb has made the life of a terminally ill person that much easier, and how dare anyone deny him this right. It is ludicrous to think that the federal government wishes not only to deny him the right to a less painful way of life but they also wish to arrest him and others in similar positions for simply wishing to live as much of a pain free life as possible.

Title: Marijuana should be legal for medical purposes. Content: I challenge jamccartney to a debate about medical marijuana. I will be arguing that marijuana should be legal for medical purposes. My opponent will be argue that marijuana should not be legal for medical purposes. My opponent and I already agree on the issue of recreational marijuana. Before we begin, I would like to state the debate structure:Round One: Acceptance and stating your stanceRound Two: Main ArgumentsRound Three: Rebuttals and ConclusionBoth jamccartney and I share nearly identical views and I will therefore not list the debate rules. They are obvious to both of us.

Title: Resolved: Medical Marijuana should be legal Content: My first debate!Round 1: AcceptanceI think Medical Marijuana should be legal and ther are many benefits.Definitions:Marijuana - Marijuana (marihuana) Cannabis sativa L., also known as Indian hemp, is a member of the Cannabaceae or hemp family, thought to have originated in the mountainous districts of India, north of the Himalayan mountains.http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com...LETS DO THIS!

Title: Marijuana ought to be legalized Content: Greetings! My position in this debate is that Marijuana ought not be legalized. As a utilitarian, my reason for this is that the benefits of such an action would not outweigh the negative effects. I shall respond to Pro’s points in the relevant sections, and present one counterpoint of my own afterward. Counterpoints: First contention – Marijuana for Medicinal purposes: (The resolution states “Marijuana ought to be legalized,” as opposed to “Marijuana ought to be legalized for medicinal purposes.” Furthermore, the argument from medicinal purposes is made as its own point in Pro’s argument. Both of these lead me to believe that Pro wished Marijuana to be legalized for all purposes as opposed to those simply medical in nature. Keep this in mind as I state my position on this point.) Objection 1: You have not cited any sources for this point. Keep in mind that you share the burden of proof for this debate. Objection 2: I acknowledge that Marijuana has specific medical benefits. However, this does not require that Marijuana be legalized for public use. Heroin and opium also have specific medical benefits, and are used today. I wouldn’t want marijuana intended for a specific medical effect to leave the hospital any more than I would want morphine to roam the streets. Second contention – Wartime use of marijuana: Objection 1: In a similar case as with my second objection to the first of Pro’s points, the military has access to many things that the public simply does not. It is perfectly legitimate to acknowledge that marijuana has a place among military personnel without opening it up to the public. Objection 2: There are more effective pain killers available which have less severe side effects. If I were to choose a drug for pain relief for the people going to war for me, I would be choosing one which has less of an effect on a person’s mental state, such as acetaminophen of ibuprofen. In severe cases, such as those in which the pain is incapacitating anyway, drowsiness should be accepted, and so stronger painkillers could be used. The issue comes with administering a hallucinogenic drug to a person in full control of an assault rifle. Not only would this be dangerous in and of itself, it would be amplified by the fact that it would be self-administered as opposed to something one needs to report to sick-bay for. Third contention – The catch-all category: “…less harmful than…” Tobacco: The only thing I can say to this is that it is patently false. Tobacco may be more addictive because of the nicotine. However, marijuana smoked vs tobacco smoked has about 50% more benzopyrene, which is the leading chemical under suspect for causing lung cancer in tobacco smokers. [1][2] Additionally, tobacco smoke has limited short term effects on cognition, being no more altering than caffeine. Marijuana is a hallucinogen, increases heart rate, is a depressant, and has impairing effects on coordination and decision making skills. Long term effects of tobacco are limited to a lengthy list of cancers and respiratory problems. Research on marijuana is limited, so an acknowledged gap in information exists relating it to cancers. However, other respiratory problems generally attributed to tobacco are, in fact, present in people who smoke marijuana alone. [3] Alcohol: Again, this is demonstrably false. Alcohol has detrimental effects all over the brain. It impairs the ability to solve simple problems through reason, resulting in impaired judgment; it impairs fine motor skills and muscle coordination; and it impairs hearing, vision, processing associated with those senses, and ability to speak. Marijuana has all of these effects [4] and more, including, again, hallucinogenic and heart-rate and blood pressure increasing effects. In a study from the New England Journal of Medicine, almost 40% of drivers stopped for reckless driving who were not under the influence of alcohol were under the effects of marijuana. [5] “Limiting the use of marijuana restricts personal freedom”: Prohibiting people from possessing child pornography also restricts personal freedom. There are cases in which restriction of freedom is a good and necessary thing. I don’t think I need to elaborate much more on this point. “Legalization would mean a lower price: thus, crimes linked to marijuana would be reduced” and “Street justice related to drug disputes would be reduced”: There is a strong correlation between marijuana use and other crimes. [6] Contrary to what many think, possession and distribution are not the only crimes associated with marijuana. Marijuana impairs cognitive reasoning abilities, and can make a person more likely to behave with disregard to other laws. “It would be a source of additional taxing revenues”: About $83 billion per year is spent on cigarettes [7], and about half of this is taxes. About 20 metric tons of tobacco is sold annually. [8] An estimated 15 metric tons of marijuana is smoked annually. [9] This gives us a total of approximately $30 billion dollar revenue from our hypothetical marijuana tax. Given our nearly $750 billion military budget [10] this amount really does pale in comparison to the amount this nation spends. This minor benefit is not enough to nullify the downsides. “Police and court resources would be freed up for more serious crimes”: In relation to the total number of arrests made, those made because of possession of marijuana is actually rather low, at barely more than 5% of the total. [11] Given that people all over the nation are still ticketed for going 5 over the speed limit, having a turn signal out, or having an expired license, I’d say that police time and resources aren’t all that precious. As with the above, this is not enough of a benefit to tolerate the other consequences. “Drug busts often trap adolescences in a flawed system transforming them into lifelong criminals”: Objection 1: I don’t understand what you mean by this. Are you suggesting that children whose parents are charged are put into foster care? Are you suggesting the children are placed into detention centers? In either case, see objection 2. Objection 2: You provide absolutely no evidence for this claim whatsoever. Again, as you do have a burden of proof to carry, I do expect some evidence which I can dispute. Until then, this claim shall be disregarded as unsupported. Even without my objections to Pro’s points, there is the valuable fact that we can have the effects of marijuana without the harmful effects of smoking them. Canadian scientists have developed a THC spray which, when absorbed though the red lining in one’s mouth, imparts the same psychological effects of marijuana without the harm to the lungs. [12][13] Summary of my points: A – None of Pro’s contentions are persuasive enough to allow the legalization of marijuana in the face of B – The harmful effects of legalizing marijuana. C – One can impart the effects of smoking marijuana without actually smoking it. Therefore, Marijuana ought not be legalized. [1] http://www.drugabuse.gov... [2] http://www.pbs.org... [3] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov... [4] http://www.pnas.org... [5] http://www.nejm.org... [6] http://tinyurl.com... [7] http://www.cdc.gov... [8] http://www.nationalaglawcenter.org... [9] http://www.drugscience.org... [10] http://www.gao.gov... [11] http://www.fbi.gov... [12] http://thcsprays.com... [13] http://www.news-medical.net...