Marijuana

I must make it clear, that my persuasive appeal is being made on the basis that marijuana sales should be legal for adults, never for children under the age of 21 years.

Preview: Starting with the cost and effects of prohibition, and moving towards the actual negative health consequences surrounding cannabis, I will take you through a broad educational appeal to open your eyes for the need to legalize marijuana.

Transition: Let us begin.

Body:

I. Despite a popular trend to think people aren’t arrested for marijuana charges, they are, and it comes with a price. The costs of prohibition are extremely significant, just as alcohol prohibition was. In the 20's alcohol prohibition rendered prominent gangsters such as Al Capone. Today's prohibition is no different fueling both criminal and terrorist organizations such as Al Queda.

A .According to the U.S. Justice Department, there were over 720,000 marijuana related arrests made in 2001, 88% were for just mere possession. This is more than all violent crimes combined.

1) Incarceration charges for 1 year averages around 25,000 dollars. This constitutes a huge price tag. In fact, according to figures from the U.S. National Drug Control Strategy and FBI related arrest figures, the total price tag is estimated to be around 12 billion dollars annually. This money could be redirected to education, treatment, or other public services.

2) Despite what our elected officials wish us to believe, marijuana prohibition does not make us safe.

a) A marijuana arrest can take nearly 3 to 4 hours (half a shift) according to the co founder and former president of the Nevada Conference of Police and Sheriffs, the largest police organization in that state. This could be time spent that police could be using to look for violent criminals and drunk drivers.

b) There are currently over 2 million incarcerated inmates in the United States. This is more than all of Europe combined, and more than any single country has...