Reefer Madness

In Schlosser’s first chapter “Reefer Madness,” he gathers plausible historical facts and counter-arguments to argue that the punishments for marijuana use are extraneous and unreasonable. He suggests that if the United States government decriminalizes marijuana for personal use, it would save the time and money that could be spent on more serious endeavors, and by modifying marijuana laws it would fit better into our society today. Schlosser explains that many marijuana laws are so strict that many people that are associated with marijuana and have gotten caught by law enforcements gets punishments that are far more serious than a murderer would get punished. He successfully persuades his readers to accept the view point he has by showing many plausible historical facts and counter-arguments, which proves that marijuana laws should be decriminalize and/or modified. Schlosser gains his credibility by reaching out to the audience about the medical functions of marijuana. By looking at all the data of marijuana uses from ancient times to today’s most recent studies according to Schlosser whom uses reliable facts to prove marijuana’s medical function. Schlosser explains, “Marijuana does not create a physical dependence in its users, although it does create a psychological dependence in some. It appears to be less addictive, however, than heroin, cocaine, nicotine, alcohol, or caffeine”(17). The negative thought of the use of marijuana is the dependency on it and by Schlosser explaining this to his audience it sums it up for the audience and break them free from that thought. Schlosser also uses Dr.Grinspoon, a Harvard Medical School professor in his argument to gain credibility from his audience: Grinspoon provides evidence that smoking cannabis can relieve the nausea associated with chemotherapy, prevent blindness induced by glaucoma, serve as an appetite stimulant for aids patients, act as an anti-epileptic, ward off asthma muscle plasticity that