Explain Why The Article Rebuttal Should Marijuana Be Legalized
Article Rebuttal: Should Marijuana Be Legalized
Jon Timberlake
BCOM/275
December 15, 2014
Sarah Chapman, PhD Article Rebuttal: Should Marijuana Be Legalized
For my rebuttal article I chose the topic of legalization of marijuana. I feel strongly that marijuana should not be legalized. I believe that legalizing marijuana will move our communities in the wrong direction. Many people argue that marijuana will not have an effect on the safety of Americans but that is not the case.
I realize this may be a slippery slope, but I must pose these questions. If pot is legalized what will be the impact? Does that mean that they will legalize substances like heroin some day? It seems to me that when people are given and inch they end up
taking a mile. I have personally seen this occur in reverse when I worked in corrections. Drugs were a problem in a prison where I worked. Then a new policy was implementing the elimination of tobacco products. As a result, drugs became a much smaller problem and tobacco use was the focus of everyone’s attention.
According to an article on CNN Opinion, crime and traffic accidents have followed pre-existing trends since the commercialization of medical marijuana in 2009. The statistics that the author found may reflect that the there is no increase in traffic accidents, however I have a hard time believing that will be the case if Americans are allowed to use marijuana. In fact, there was a report published by the Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Program found that the number of people killed in marijuana-related accidents in Colorado has increased by one hundred percent over the past five years.
It is also important that the federal government make some decisions on this issue so that there is some consistency in the law. The article from CNN Opinion states that federal law trumps state law when it comes to marijuana prohibition and has taken a hands-off approach to enforcement. However I have seen otherwise. I have a friend who provides security services to marijuana clinics in California and the Drug Enforcement Agency went into several clinics and arrested citizens. This is unfair for the citizens who patronize these clinics under the impression that they are acting within the law.
Legalizing marijuana is a bad idea. This type of legislation will have a negative impact on our communities. The result will be an increase of traffic accidents and inevitably the loss of American lives. The federal government needs to take the lead on this issue. I find this tragic and hope that politicians will find a way to change the public opinion on this topic.
References
Miron, J. (2014, November 19). Why Congress Should Legalize Pot. CNN Opinion, Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com
Investigative Support Center. (2014, August). The Legalization of Marijuana in Colorado: The Impact. Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, Retrieved from www.rmhidta.org/reports
Jon Timberlake
BCOM/275
December 15, 2014
Sarah Chapman, PhD Article Rebuttal: Should Marijuana Be Legalized
For my rebuttal article I chose the topic of legalization of marijuana. I feel strongly that marijuana should not be legalized. I believe that legalizing marijuana will move our communities in the wrong direction. Many people argue that marijuana will not have an effect on the safety of Americans but that is not the case.
I realize this may be a slippery slope, but I must pose these questions. If pot is legalized what will be the impact? Does that mean that they will legalize substances like heroin some day? It seems to me that when people are given and inch they end up
taking a mile. I have personally seen this occur in reverse when I worked in corrections. Drugs were a problem in a prison where I worked. Then a new policy was implementing the elimination of tobacco products. As a result, drugs became a much smaller problem and tobacco use was the focus of everyone’s attention.
According to an article on CNN Opinion, crime and traffic accidents have followed pre-existing trends since the commercialization of medical marijuana in 2009. The statistics that the author found may reflect that the there is no increase in traffic accidents, however I have a hard time believing that will be the case if Americans are allowed to use marijuana. In fact, there was a report published by the Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Program found that the number of people killed in marijuana-related accidents in Colorado has increased by one hundred percent over the past five years.
It is also important that the federal government make some decisions on this issue so that there is some consistency in the law. The article from CNN Opinion states that federal law trumps state law when it comes to marijuana prohibition and has taken a hands-off approach to enforcement. However I have seen otherwise. I have a friend who provides security services to marijuana clinics in California and the Drug Enforcement Agency went into several clinics and arrested citizens. This is unfair for the citizens who patronize these clinics under the impression that they are acting within the law.
Legalizing marijuana is a bad idea. This type of legislation will have a negative impact on our communities. The result will be an increase of traffic accidents and inevitably the loss of American lives. The federal government needs to take the lead on this issue. I find this tragic and hope that politicians will find a way to change the public opinion on this topic.
References
Miron, J. (2014, November 19). Why Congress Should Legalize Pot. CNN Opinion, Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com
Investigative Support Center. (2014, August). The Legalization of Marijuana in Colorado: The Impact. Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, Retrieved from www.rmhidta.org/reports