Differences and Similarities in the Arguments for...

Lorena Burgess RHE 309S October 28th, 2011 Differences and Similarities in the Arguments for Legalizing Marijuana The legalization of marijuana has become a mainstream issue that the nation has become highly concerned about in recent years. Lately more and more conservative opposers have begun to change their minds, realizing the benefits of marijuana. Debate followers go as far as saying that it is no longer a question of if marijuana will be legalized, but when. The shift in viewpoints is due to the increasing awareness of some of the positive effects legalizing marijuana could have on the country. Pro-legalization advocates argue that the benefits of legalizing marijuana greatly outnumber the benefits of keeping it illegal.†¦show more content†¦They know their audience is anti-legalization, so they want to make sure that the readers know, before they choose a stance, they’ve been lied to. This makes the authors seem like more trustworthy and rational choice. By using the Constitution to back up their arguments, there is no real way to justify anti-legalization. Assumptions will be made that you’re anti-Constitution, and in turn, anti-American. Another similarity between Cartwright’s stance and other arguments for marijuana legalization is the huge emphasis on the effects it will have on the economy. In the article â€Å"Up In Smoke,† Kelley Beaucar Vlahos describes the economic benefits of legalization, while giving real number estimates of how much revenue could be brought in or saved. She writes, â€Å"Proponents of Prop 19 claimed taxes on legalized cannabis could bring upwards of $1.4 billion into beleaguered state coffers† (Vlahos 18). Cartwright does this in his article as well, stating that â€Å"In America, we spend nearly $8 billion trying to enforce the laws prohibiting the use and possesson of marijuana† (Cartwright 86). Cartwright further supports this argument by providing more proof of the waste of taxpayers’ dollars, stating that â€Å"in Texas, 97 percent of all marijuana arrests are for simple possession--an ounce or less--at a cost to taxpayers of $480 million a year† (86). Cartwright chooses to provide the reader with these statistics for deliberate reasons: it provides aShow MoreRelatedShould Hemp Be Legalize The Planting Of Hemp?1503 Words   |  7 Pagesmentally. He states, â€Å"Flower buds of marijuana plants typically contain 5% to 25% of THC by dry weight, Levine said. By contrast, the hemp harvested to make foods and other products has buds with 0.3% THC content†¦ with sufficiently low THC levels that they produce no psychoactive effect in humans, manufacturers say. ‘No one s getting high on this stuff’†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Carey). Carey’s argument is based on the idea that people tend to believe hemp is same as the addictive drug—marijuana. Statistically, this quote clearlyRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legal?1820 Words   |  8 Pagesuse is checked in screening processes by many employers and forbidden among our youth since children and young adults are more vulnerable to misuse. With the legalization of marijuana all parents should be concerned as what was once an illegal drug is now easily accessible to youth of all ages. The chances of exposure to marijuana and all its strains among teens is almost certain and it is up to parents to protect their children from a newfound threat. A major debate revolves around the medical aspectRead MoreMODR 17608087 Words   |  33 Pagesfacts and spin them to your advantage not in a way that accurately reflects the truth. Or to spin them reversely to oppose your opponent. To raise emotions, prejudice, and ignorance in poorer and less-educated. Lecture 3: In order to have an argument we need two related claims. One claim supports the other. The supporter claim is premise. The supported is the conclusion. The process is inference. A claim is a statement that can be true or false. - Questions are not claims. Unless they’re