Diehl-Schussler 1 Jaime Schussler Autumn Diehl Ms. K.

Sobotka Debate I- Lincoln Douglas 20 January 2013 Introduction (Affirmative Constructive) I. Jaime Schussler, speaking for legalization of marijuana-affirmative (appreciate the opportunity to speak) II. Cannabis has proved to be a non-addictive drug; this is virtually the same as tobacco products and alcohol without the extra chemicals of tobacco. Marijuana will be able to be regulated and taxed by government to create revenue. In return this will profit the government, therefore marijuana should be legalized. III. Definitions a. Marijuanaoften called pot, grass, reefer, weed, herb, Mary Jane, or MJis a greenish-gray mixture of the dried, shredded leaves, stems, seeds, and flowers of Cannabis sativathe hemp plant. Most users smoke marijuana in hand-rolled cigarettes called joints. b. Addiction: A chronic, relapsing disease characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use and by long-lasting changes in the brain. c. Dopamine: A brain chemical, classified as a neurotransmitter, found in regions of the brain that regulate movement, emotion, motivation, and pleasure.

Diehl-Schussler 2 d. Ventral Striatum: An area of the brain that is part of the basal ganglia and becomes activated and flooded with dopamine in the presence of salient stimuli. The release of this chemical also occurs during physically rewarding activities such as eating, sex, and taking drugs, and is a key factor behind our desire to repeat these activities. e. Basal Ganglia: Structures located deep in the brain that play an important role in the initiation of movements. These clusters of neurons include the caudate nucleus, putamen, globus pallidus, and substantia nigra. It also contains the nucleus accumbens, which is the main center of reward in the brain. IV. Government could regulate and tax the product resulting in profit and limits a. b. c. Create jail space preventing expanding and spending money tobacco and alcohol are legal allows the mind to become more inventive

d. Kills cancer cells/prevents the spread (not harmful-medicinal marijuana); adults should choose the substances used. Body I. Thesis a. The United States drug laws are preventing the country to economic expansion; through regulating marijuana for medicinal, recreational, and industrial uses promotes economic stability by creating jobs and pressuring drug cartel. I. Support

Diehl-Schussler 3 a. Country founded on liberty and freedom- regulated usage should be legal to adults to do as they wish. Regulation (like no smoking signs, no public intoxication, etc.) can be placed on marijuana. b. Less harmful than tobacco and alcohol - Research by the British Medical Association shows that nicotine is more addictive. In England and Wales, cannabis was said to have helped cause 17 deaths, compared to 6627 for alcohol and 86,500 for tobacco. c. Regulated and cut down drug cartel- In 2009, the UN estimated that the market for illegal drugs was worth $320 billion. Another way of seeing the problems of prohibition is to look at the failed attempt at alcohol prohibition in the 1920s. People continued to consume alcohol, only it became 150 per cent stronger, was as easy to obtain for minors as for adults (pulled country from deoression after legalized). Invalid to spend money fighting drug violence when they could regulate and tax to raise money. d. Cannabis alters perception and allows users to think outside of the box in inventive ways. Often, this calms users to react in rational ways. II. Conclusion

a. If government would approve the legalization of marijuana they would immediately reap the benefits. Patients from depression to cancer would be healed with the natural herb without the addiction to synthetic medicines. Cannabis has been proven to be less addictive than alcohol and tobacco and lack the health risks. There have been no recorded deaths to the usage or marijuana where there have to other controlled substances. The monetary benefits would

Diehl-Schussler 4 soon follow with revenue from taxing, and damaging drug cartel. There is lacking validity to marijuana being illegal to adults and informed users. Affirmative Cross Examination I. If adults can use tobacco and alcohol, should they not be able to choose to use marijuana? II. If the country can regulate alcohol, could they not marijuana with an increased tax? III. Would this product create jobs? Would these jobs not require more federal taxing? IV. Alcohol is legal, are there not still abusers of the substance? Is this true with tobacco? V. Have tobacco and alcohol not both caused great deals of negative health effects on the user and its surroundings? VI. Marijuana is a natural herb that could also be regulated by government for of-age users just as tobacco and alcohol. The new, legal industry would create jobs and pull the government from a large deficit. Affirmative Rebuttal I. There is a higher correlation between cigarette smoking and synthetic, hard drugs. Cannabis would likely only lead to harder drugs if there was easier access through a marijuana dealer. With the drug being regulated and sold in stores, the connection to a dealer would be minimized.

Diehl-Schussler 5 II. If the drug was legalized then more studies could be conducted and inform citizens on the psychological effects of marijuana. Like unprotected sex, alcoholism, or addiction to tobacco, citizens will be able to become aware of the possible risks they are taking. III. Legalization should not have a negative connotation. a. The highest usage rates are in prosperous countries: Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. b. After being legalized in the Netherlands, usage of the drug slightly increased but still remain lower than the usage in the US. c. Portugal decriminalized marijuana in 2001- a decade later usage and crimes declined. Their usage is less than the European usage of marijuana. d. Cannabis relaxes pain caused by cancer and no long term effects have been found to harm marijuana users. Second Affirmative Rebuttal I. Although the moral question is undergoing a series of debates, the legalization of marijuana will heavily promote the failing economy. The larceny of taking seventy-five percent of drug cartels income and creating space in prisons for lesser crimes will save the country federal money. Along with creating jobs and revenue from taxing the drug, the economy will reap the benefits, just as it had after the prohibition. II. Thank you for considering the legalization of cannabis and its benefits to the land of the free, The United States.

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