RoughDraft1stNegative

JackTibbetts

Introduction

AnunjustifiableamountofindividualsaresufferingacrosstheUnitedStatesfromdrug
abuse,andinparticular,the
exploitation
ofmarijuana,alsoknownasCannabis.Thisdrugnot
onlyimpairsshorttermmemoryandlearning,butitalsoslowsdowntheimmunesystemofthe
body.Marijuanasdrawbacksmuchoutweighanypotentialbenefitstobehadfromeither
recreationalormedicinalmarijuana.

Resolution
Wedisagreewiththeresolutionthatweshouldlegalizebothmedicinalandrecreational
marijuanaacrossall50statesandU.S.Territories.

Definitions
Legalize:ToallowsomethingbylawMerriamWebsterDictionary
Medicinal:TendingorusedtocurediseaseortorelievepainMerriamWebsterDictionary

Harms

Contention1A
AnticipatedAffirmativeClaim: Patientswhoaresufferinginhospitalsrightnowneed
medicinalmarijuanatoeasepain.
NegativeRefutation: Marijuanacausesaddictionandcanbeeasilyabused.
Source:CQResearcher:LegalizingMarijuana.MichelleJohnson.2014.
Evidence:Anonaddictivealternativeisavailabletomarijuanaintheformofmarinol,which
usesfakeTHC.Itisfoundtohaveseizurerelievingproperties.

Contention1B
AnticipatedAffirmativeClaim: IllegalMarijuanacreatesaviolentblackmarket
NegativeRefutation: Onlyillegalharddrugslikeheroinandcocainecausesignificantgang
violenceandblackmarketviolence.
Source:MarijuanaLegalization.JonathanP.Caulkins.2012byOxfordUniversityPress.Pg129
Evidence:Thegreatbulkofthoseproblemsstemfromthemarketsforillegalstimulantssuch
ascocaine,crackandmethamphetamine.
 Contention1C
AnticipatedAffirmativeClaim: Theamountofmoneyusedtoenforcemarijuanalawsistoo
high.
NegativeRefutation: Whileitdoescostalotofmoney,itisntasbadascomparedtoother
prohibitionsinthepast,anditisareasonablesuccess.
Source:pbs.org.Prohibition:UnintendedConsequences.MichaelLerner.2013
Evidence:Prohibitioncostthefederalgovernmentatotalof$11billionlostintaxrevenue.

Significance

Contention2A
AnticipatedAffirmativeClaim: Prisonsareovercrowdedwithnonviolentoffenders.
NegativeRefutation: Therearenotthatmanyinmatesinjailbecauseofoffensesformarijuana
charges.
Source: MarijuanaLegalization.JonathanP.Caulkins.2012byOxfordUniversityPress.Pg129
Evidence: UniversityofSouthCarolinacriminologistEricSevignyestimatesthatonlyabout8
percentofstateandfederalprisoninmatesservingtimefordrugviolationswheremarijuanaonly
offenders

Contention2B
AnticipatedAffirmativeClaim: Marijuanauseisalreadyhighsoitdoesntmatterifits
legalized.
NegativeRefutation:
Justbecauseitsaccessibledoesntmeanitshouldbelegalized.Makingit
moreaccessibletoadolescentsbylegalizingitiswillincreaseaddictionamongyoungerU.S.
citizens.
Source:
MarijuanaLegalization.JonathanP.Caulkins.2012ByOxfordUniversityPress.Pg132
Evidence: Legalizingmarijuanamakeitmoreaccessiblebecauseitiseasiertobuyitatastore
thenfindanillegaldrugdealer.

Contention2C
AnticipateAffirmativeClaim: Manypeoplewantmarijuanalegalizedinsomeway.
NegativeRefutation: Theonlypeoplethatwantitlegalizedarepeoplethatbenefitfromit,and
Source:
MarijuanaLegalization.JonathanP.Caulkins.2012ByOxfordUniversityPress.Pg140
Evidence:
InaGeneralSocialSurveyaskingshouldmarijuanabelegalizedtheanswerwas
approximatelysplitacrossthecountry.
 Inherency

Contention3A
AnticipatedAffirmativeClaim: MarijuanashouldbeaSchedule2druginsteadofaSchedule1
drug.
NegativeRefutation: Cannabiscausespsychologicaldependenceandhasahighpotentialfor
abuse,soitshouldremainSchedule1.
Source:MarijuanaLegalization.JonathanP.Caulkins.2012byOxfordUniversityPress.Pg58
Evidence: TheprobabilityofbecomingdependentonCannabiswhileundertheageof25is
around15percentsaysJamesAnthony,Epidemiologist.

Contention3B
AnticipateAffirmativeClaim: Prohibitionincreasesuseofmarijuana
NegativeRefutation:Prohibitiondoesntraiseuseofmarijuana
Source:
MarijuanaLegalization.JonathanP.Caulkins.2012byOxfordUniversityPress.Pg131
Evidence:
Fouroutoffive12thgradersreporteddescribemarijuanaasfairlyeasytoget.

 Additional Facts for Contentions 1-3

Contention1A:
Claim:Marijuanaisaddictiveandcanbeeasilyabusedbymedicalpatients
Source:CQResearcher:LegalizingMarijuana.MichelleJohnson.2014.
Evidence:
Contention1B:
Claim:Marijuanaprohibitioncreatesaviolentblackmarket
Source:MarijuanaLegalization.JonathanP.Caulkins.2012byOxfordUniversityPress.Pg131
Evidence:MarijuanaenteringtheU.S.costsabout$400perpound,so$3millionworthof
marijuanawouldweigh7,500pounds,orenoughtofillamediumsizedtruck.Thereisnotmuch
pointtryingtoshootoneswayoutofatrafficstopwhenthegetawayvehicleisasemitruck

Contention1C:
Claim:Marijuanalawscosttoomuchmoneytoregulate.
Source:MarijuanaLegalization.JonathanP.Caulkins.2012byOxfordUniversityPress.Pg157
Evidence:Theregulationcostsneededformanaginglegalizedmarijuanacouldbecomparedto
thatofregulatingalcoholandtobacco,whichisaround$75millionperyear.

Contention2A:
Claim:Prisonsareovercrowdedwithnonviolentoffenders
Source:MarijuanaLegalization.JonathanP.Caulkins.2012byOxfordUniversityPress.Pg50
Evidence:Lessthanonepercentofstateandfederalinmatesareservingtimeformarijuana
possessionalone.

Contention2B:
Claim:Lotsofpeoplesmokemarijuanasoitdoesntmatterifitslegalized.
SourceMarijuanaLegalization.JonathanP.Caulkins.2012byOxfordUniversityPress.Pg12
Evidence:Thetypicalpersonwhohastakenupsmokingmarijuanahasjustturned16.

Contention2C:
Claim:Lotsofpeoplewantmarijuanalegalized
Source:MarijuanaLegalization.JonathanP.Caulkins.2012ByOxfordUniversityPress.Pg140
Evidence:Thesurveyaforementioneddidnotaskifitshouldbeallowedtobesold.Peoples
perceptionoflegalizationismuchclosertodecriminalizationthenallowingittobesold,and
theyaretwodifferentmatters.

Contention3A:
Claim:Marijuanashouldbeaschedule2drug.
Source
www.dea.gov DrugScheduling
Evidence:Marijuanaisaddictiveandcanbereplacedwithmarinolformedicalpurposes,soit
shouldremainaschedule1drug.

Contention3B