Anyone have any info or sources I can use? I am not overly familiar with it in all honesty.
Anyone have any info or sources I can use? I am not overly familiar with it in all honesty.
Debunk it as a Gateway drug.
Focus on the evils of legal more dangerous drugs.
Taxes
Hemp as a resource
Border Violence
Chomsky on Marijuana
Great summary of the history of marijuana in this country in the style of an anecdote.
Problem with most of those suggestions is they are either dodging the issue (evils of other drugs as opposed to marijuana, that's a pubescent "but billy's mom let's him do X" argument that doesnt hold up in a more regimented debate) or they are rebuttals to points you are planning on your opponent bringing up (which he most likely will)
If you plan your debate on just those alone (while they are good things to research and keep in mind) you will be fighting an uphill battle the entire time, with your opposition holding the much easier to debate point that it should remain illegal, and you will simply be combatting what he says with rebuttals - you need something to actually push FOR it, not just rebuke or defend.
Things like taxes you'll have to make a killing on- 'feeling good' isn't going to hold up all that great as a pro-legalization reason. While there may not be a whole lot of legit reasons to keep it illegal, its the status quo, so while they just have to defend their point, you have to push yours across to change that quo.
I'll admit I'm not much on pot, so I don't have a lot of pro's, but the actual format of your debating makes a big difference, just keep those in mind. Get some people on here to provide some solid pro's (not just defenses), and then write down the defenses they have here (and research them) for the inevitable rebuttals you'll have to make. Good luck-- I had to do this exact debate (pro-legalization) in college.
3 minute opening, 2 min QnA, opp Opening and QnA, 2 min rebuttal, his 2min rebuttal, 2 min closing
yay LD debate
with fudged up timings, but regardless
and that was a waste of a 1k post
Why is Marijuana Illegal?
Probably the best story I've ever read about Marijuana and how it became illegal in the U.S.
If the person is fat, point it out and ask them if the government should put them on a diet.
It upsets them and backs them in a corner so they will not listen to reason, but it is hilarious.
any other sources/tips? I have an ok basis for my argument, but more wouldn't hurt.
Video sharpens focus on raid | Philadelphia Daily News | 03/30/2009
The war on drugs has corrupted the police force. Things like "no knock" warrants that get people killed and the ability to arrest you simply for having money on you is all thanks to the war on drugs.
Legalize drugs and remove all the powers the police force gained in order to fight the war on drugs and you will have a safer and less corrupt police force more willing to protect and serve.
It is less complicated.
Either we outlaw all drugs or we outlaw the "bad" ones.
If we outlaw all drugs that would include alcohol.
If we just outlaw the "bad" ones than you have to consider that alcohol is worse than marijuana.
Either the government has the right to decide what we put in our own bodies or it does not. If it does, how do we determine what is harmful and what is not? Why is alcohol legal, marijuana illegal, and mcdonalds legal?
The only valid reason the government could get involved in personal health decisions is if we had socialized healthcare, and if we did they might want to forbid things that increase the cost of health care. They could make it a crime to be fat...
The only simple solution is to have the government stay the fuck out of it and only get involved in crimes that have a victim and a perpetrator.
I believe this statement to be true. While it does make sense that there should be no middle ground to what the gov't says we should do (ban all or none), you aren't going to win anything that way. You may be able to convince some people that weed should be legal but once you then try to bootstrap harder drugs (coke, heroin, etc) you will lose any support you have. I'd ignore all other mentions of other drugs and you are probably going to want to have a good defense to the "slippery slope" attack. By that I mean the opposition saying "If we legalize weed, then what next? Coke? Meth? It becomes a slipper slope".
I'd so photoshop said "slipper slope" if I wasn't on my laptop right now.
Hemp to lower our dependence of foreign oil.
Hemp Car
Meh... hemp oil can turn pretty rancid..
Avoid ad hominem attacks and straw-man arguments.
Why should it be legal? State your case. Would it bring in increased tax revenue? Could the different strains be standardized? How do the penalties for marijuana use affect productivity in the workforce? Can you debunk the typical claim that it is a gateway drug? What are the health consequences of marijuana use? You could compare its use to the use of alcohol or nicotine, two other intoxicants that are legal and regulated.
On the other side, also consider why marijuana should be illegal. You have to be able to respond to your opponent's main points, by being able to foresee what they will be and how you can offer a compelling counter-argument against them.
Good luck.
That just reminds me. There is one argument that floats around that I like.
"With alcohol, which isn't great for you, being taxed and regulated.
tobacco, obviously, kills that's taxed and regulated
most products in our society are taxed and regulated
if someone actually believes that marijuana is really bad for you
then why would you want that product not regulated
it seems like that's exactly the type of thing that should be regulated"
6:10 in this video: YouTube - Glenn Beck: Marijuana Legalized & Taxed
Completely off topic but did anyone click on the picture of the hot chick from Devek's link? It's something about a wing contest but holy shit there are some fucks on that page.