Should the U.S. Legalize Marijuana?

• “Yes”

  

  “Remember Prohibition? It Still Doesn’t Work.”

• “Objection”

  

  “Marijuana Use Rarely Leads to Arrest & it's not 20s-Style Prohibition”
  

Remember Prohibition? It Still Doesn’t Work.

National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws

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Recommend (39) Comments (7)

According to government surveys, nearly half the US population has smoked marijuana. Marijuana is the third most popular recreational drug in America, and has been used by nearly 100 million Americans. Tens of millions do so yearly and half do so on a regular basis. Marijuana prohibition needlessly destroys the lives and careers of literally hundreds of thousands of good, hard-working, productive citizens each year in this country. More than 700,000 Americans were arrested on marijuana charges last year, and more than 5 million Americans have been arrested for marijuana offenses in the past decade. Almost 90 percent of these arrests are for simple possession, not trafficking or sale. This is far more than the total number of arrestees for all violent crimes combined, including murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault. This is a misapplication of the criminal sanction that invites government into areas of our private lives that are inappropriate and wastes valuable law enforcement resources that should be focused on serious and violent crime. Legalization would reduce many of the problems presently associated with the prohibition of marijuana, including the crime, corruption and violence associated with a "black market." The legalization of marijuana would allow for the redistribution of vital resources needed to address real critical problems facing the nation. As with alcohol consumption, marijuana smoking can never be an excuse for misconduct or other improper behavior. For example, driving or operating heavy equipment while impaired from marijuana should be prohibited.

Evidence

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Marijuana Arrests Investigator

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Principles of Responsible Use

Next Argument

"Yes" NORML

• Remember Prohibition? It Still Doesn’t Work.
  39
• Humanity’s Medicine Chest
  26
• It’s the Economy, Stupid!
  28
• Industrial Use
  27

"No" Dr Kevin Sabet

• It is a Myth That 'Everybody is Doing It.'
  4
• Where Legalization Has Flourished, Drug Use Has Increased
  4
• Experts Agree That Marijuana Contributes to Mental Illness
  3
• Marijuana Use Can Be Addictive, While Also Damaging the Lungs
  2
• It is a Myth That Small Time Marijuana Users are Crowding our Prisons
  3
• Legalization Advocates Never Answer The Hard Questions
  4
• There are Ways To Make Current Policy Better
  1

"No" David Evans

• Marijuana Use Poses Severe Health Risks
  1
• Marijuana is Addictive
  0
• Use of Marijuana Leads to Other Drugs
  0
• Marijuana Use Contributes to Crime
  0

Most Objections

• Marijuana Use Poses Severe Health Risks
  1
• Marijuana is Addictive
  0
• Use of Marijuana Leads to Other Drugs
  0
• Marijuana Use Contributes to Crime
  0
• Remember Prohibition? It Still Doesn’t Work.
  39
• Humanity’s Medicine Chest
  26
• It’s the Economy, Stupid!
  28
• Industrial Use
  27
• It is a Myth That 'Everybody is Doing It.'
  4
• It is a Myth That Small Time Marijuana Users are Crowding our Prisons
  3
• Marijuana Use Can Be Addictive, While Also Damaging the Lungs
  2
• Experts Agree That Marijuana Contributes to Mental Illness
  3
• Where Legalization Has Flourished, Drug Use Has Increased
  4
• Legalization Advocates Never Answer The Hard Questions
  4
• There are Ways To Make Current Policy Better
  1

Legalize Marijuana?

• Yes
• No

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