Refuting “Six powerful reasons to legalize marijuana” by Owen Poindexter from NY Times
The use, sale and possession of cannabis (marijuana) in the United States are considered as a schedule I control substances and illegal under federal law. However, five states have legalized marijuana for recreational use and thirty one states for medical use only. While proponents say there are legitimate reasons for cannabis legalization, concerns remain about the marijuana’s effect on users and their communities and so the controversy over marijuana legalization continues. This argument refutes one of these claims that tries to support the legalization of Marijuana by highlighting some of the details and evidences that look helpful in convincing the readers but leaving the other sides unsaid while explain the reasons. The NY Times’ argument concerning marijuana legalization: (Six powerful reasons to legalize marijuana), published on July 31, 2014 refers to six reasons of: Prohibitions costs, Miniscule benefits of marijuana criminalization, Racism in its prohibition, Medical benefits of marijuana, discarding the idea that usage increases after legalization and …show more content…
Once again, the data currently available are inadequate to properly measure the accurate costs of legalized marijuana and compare it with alcohol or other substances. In other words, there are still many undetermined factors that each of them can change the balance of this comparison easily. For example, who can predict and evaluate what would be the consequences and costs of having millions of teens, students and adults with less IQ, less skilled and less improved than other countries? Alcohol is America’s number one drug problem. Why should the government now unleash another harmful drug on America? Alcohol and marijuana have been classified as “gateway drugs,” drugs that often lead to harder drugs. Isn’t one legal gateway drug
The use, sale and possession of cannabis (marijuana) in the United States are considered as a schedule I control substances and illegal under federal law. However, five states have legalized marijuana for recreational use and thirty one states for medical use only. While proponents say there are legitimate reasons for cannabis legalization, concerns remain about the marijuana’s effect on users and their communities and so the controversy over marijuana legalization continues. This argument refutes one of these claims that tries to support the legalization of Marijuana by highlighting some of the details and evidences that look helpful in convincing the readers but leaving the other sides unsaid while explain the reasons. The NY Times’ argument concerning marijuana legalization: (Six powerful reasons to legalize marijuana), published on July 31, 2014 refers to six reasons of: Prohibitions costs, Miniscule benefits of marijuana criminalization, Racism in its prohibition, Medical benefits of marijuana, discarding the idea that usage increases after legalization and …show more content…
Once again, the data currently available are inadequate to properly measure the accurate costs of legalized marijuana and compare it with alcohol or other substances. In other words, there are still many undetermined factors that each of them can change the balance of this comparison easily. For example, who can predict and evaluate what would be the consequences and costs of having millions of teens, students and adults with less IQ, less skilled and less improved than other countries? Alcohol is America’s number one drug problem. Why should the government now unleash another harmful drug on America? Alcohol and marijuana have been classified as “gateway drugs,” drugs that often lead to harder drugs. Isn’t one legal gateway drug