Argument Essay: The Legalization Of Marijuana
Holly Semma
Mrs. Denomme
AP Language and Composition
20 May 2011
Free Mary Jane
Our Declaration of Independence grants every citizen to the rights of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” A person has the right to do anything his heart desires as long as he does not threaten the rights of another individual. A person is free to smoke a cigarette and drink on celebrations. His fundamental right to indulge in pleasure by smoking and drinking is tolerated, as long as he does not threaten the rights of another individual. What makes marijuana any different? The legalization of marijuana has been a controversial topic for decades, as its popularity has increased over the years. While many people believe marijuana should remain illegal …show more content…
Critics may argue that prohibition protects society from marijuana’s harmful effects. On the contrary, prohibition appeals to the public as the temptation to try the "forbidden fruit." In a similar case, the prohibition of alcohol in the 1920s was a failed experiment. In the early 20s, prohibition led to a 30% decrease in alcohol consumption. Towards the end of the decade, however, a new generation disregarded the law and began to involve themselves with an underground social network of bootleggers, gangsters, and speakeasies to obtain alcohol. Since alcohol was socially accepted and difficult to regulate, the ban on alcohol was lifted in 1933 ("The United States Prohibition of Alcohol - 1920-1933"). The prohibition of alcohol is an analogy to the prohibition of marijuana. The theory behind prohibition is to reduce organized crime, improve productivity, and increase health (Miron 447). Ironically, the black market and prohibition has increased crime and corruption. Analyzed data reasons that “pot possession arrests took officers off the streets and distracted them from other crime-fighting activities,” which allows the rate of organized crime to increase (Levine 203). Advocates of prohibiting marijuana may argue that the law has been around for too long to be changed. They believe that it would be unfair to legalize marijuana, since numerous citizens have already been arrested and prosecuted for possession. This argument is an example of the logical fallacy, "argumentum ad antiquitatem", or "appeal to tradition" (Walker), because you cannot keep a law for the sake of it being kept without acknowledging the facts. For example, slavery was legal for thousands of years, but after realizing the injustice of dehumanizing African Americans because of the color of their skin, slavery was abolished. In this case, marijuana 's facts and benefits overcome the upholding traditions of
Mrs. Denomme
AP Language and Composition
20 May 2011
Free Mary Jane
Our Declaration of Independence grants every citizen to the rights of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” A person has the right to do anything his heart desires as long as he does not threaten the rights of another individual. A person is free to smoke a cigarette and drink on celebrations. His fundamental right to indulge in pleasure by smoking and drinking is tolerated, as long as he does not threaten the rights of another individual. What makes marijuana any different? The legalization of marijuana has been a controversial topic for decades, as its popularity has increased over the years. While many people believe marijuana should remain illegal …show more content…
Critics may argue that prohibition protects society from marijuana’s harmful effects. On the contrary, prohibition appeals to the public as the temptation to try the "forbidden fruit." In a similar case, the prohibition of alcohol in the 1920s was a failed experiment. In the early 20s, prohibition led to a 30% decrease in alcohol consumption. Towards the end of the decade, however, a new generation disregarded the law and began to involve themselves with an underground social network of bootleggers, gangsters, and speakeasies to obtain alcohol. Since alcohol was socially accepted and difficult to regulate, the ban on alcohol was lifted in 1933 ("The United States Prohibition of Alcohol - 1920-1933"). The prohibition of alcohol is an analogy to the prohibition of marijuana. The theory behind prohibition is to reduce organized crime, improve productivity, and increase health (Miron 447). Ironically, the black market and prohibition has increased crime and corruption. Analyzed data reasons that “pot possession arrests took officers off the streets and distracted them from other crime-fighting activities,” which allows the rate of organized crime to increase (Levine 203). Advocates of prohibiting marijuana may argue that the law has been around for too long to be changed. They believe that it would be unfair to legalize marijuana, since numerous citizens have already been arrested and prosecuted for possession. This argument is an example of the logical fallacy, "argumentum ad antiquitatem", or "appeal to tradition" (Walker), because you cannot keep a law for the sake of it being kept without acknowledging the facts. For example, slavery was legal for thousands of years, but after realizing the injustice of dehumanizing African Americans because of the color of their skin, slavery was abolished. In this case, marijuana 's facts and benefits overcome the upholding traditions of