Great Idea for Ruining Kids

Great Idea for Ruining Kids

Summary:

The author of this argument is presenting his reasons against the case for the legalisation of some drugs; a case he claims is seductive and completely wrong. The main reasons he gives are in response to claims made by the ‘legalisers’. The legalisers claim that marijuana is an already approved hospital medicine, America has already lost the drug war, it is a mistake to criminalise the behaviour of so many people, legalisation would not increase the number of drug addicts, and young people could be excluded from the freemarket for legal drugs. In response the author claims that the narrow widow of marijuana legitimacy in medicine could potentially be a menace, America’s drug war is not being lost, legalisation would increase the number of drug addicts, and we have been unable to keep legal drugs (alcohol and tobacco) out of the hands of young people.

Broad Standardisation:

Target argument: (‘legalisers’)

1: Sick patients are allowed access to marijuana for pain relief in California and Arizona.

2.1: Illegal drug use continues and so does criminal apparatus that supports the trade.

2: America has lost the drug war.

3.1: Anyone who wants a drug can get it now.

3: If drugs were legal it would not increase the number of addicts.

4: Young people could be excluded from the freemarket for drugs.

5: In democracy it is a mistake to criminalise the behaviour of so many people.

C: The legalisation of some drugs is untempting and right.

Counterargument:

1.1: The narrow window of legitimacy in medicine will be a menace if it becomes a wide-open door.

1: If marijuana is to be approved for hospital medicine, it is essential that general use be more rigorously curtailed. |X1|

2.1.1: Sticker drug laws, stronger social disapproval, and an increased awareness of the devastation drugs can produce.

2.1: In 1979, some 25 million had tried drugs sometime in the preceding month. That figure is 1.1 million today.

2: America’s...