Chisom Nwachukwu, Dr.

Rockell Brown Burton, March 23

rd
, 2014

Topic: Legalization of Marijuana
General Purpose: To Persuade
Specific Purpose: To persuade the opposition that legalizing Marijuana is in the best
interest of our society.
Central Idea: Legalizing Marijuana benefits many individuals, society as a whole and
the government itself.
Introduction:
I. Attention-getting device: Puff Puff Pass
II. Relevance: There are many problems that can be solved from legalizing
Marijuana and equally a different set of problems that stem from
criminalizing it.
III. Credibility: I have done extensive research and viewed numerous
documentaries on the benefits and misconceptions of Marijuana.
IV. Central Idea: Legalizing Marijuana benefits many individuals, society as a
whole and the government itself.
V. Preview: I will give you irrefutable proof that Marijuana has been vilified,
which prevents us from reaping the many benefits of the plant.

Body:
I. There are different legitimate reasons for using marijuana
a. Medically marijuana has shown unprecedented promise with people
suffering from a wide range of illnesses from Epilepsy to HIV. In
Colorado a little girl named charlotte suffered from seizures as
frequent as 3 times a day and each lasted at least an hour. It got so bad
that eventually she couldnt walk, talk or eat. Doctors tried everything
but nothing worked. At the end of their rope charlottes parents
decided to experiment with marijuana. They started giving her the oils
extracted from Marijuana plants. Immediately they noticed the
seizures drastically reduced to twice a month and only during her
sleep. Since then the strain of marijuana has been renamed Charlottes
web in Honor of charlotte and 41 other similar patients are using the
plant and reporting improved results.
b. Studies have proven that frequent use of marijuana inhibits the
spread of cancerous cells, it relieves chronic pain, it slows the
progression of Alzheimers and it combats depression, Anxiety and
ADHD.
II. Legalizing and Taxing of Marijuana can be a source of income for
governments.
a. In 2013 the state of Colorado legalized the consumption or marijuana
and marijuana themed products. In January of 2014 they officially
started the sale of these products and in one month collected $4
Million in taxes despite shortages in supply. The state of Colorado is
projected to take in $150 Million by the end of the year just from
taxation alone.
b. It has also created thousands of jobs in the marijuana industry, with
the first career fair for the marijuana industry being held in Colorado
last month.
III. Criminalization of Marijuana also costs the taxpayers money that could be
allocated to more pressing matters.
a. The war on marijuana is ultimately a failed endeavor, marijuana is
still the most used illegal substance on Earth, due to the fact it is
merely a plant that can be grown naturally. Chances are today youve
come in contact with someone that has used or plans on using
marijuana.
b. People convicted of using or possessing marijuana, which is a non-
violent crime, are in prisons right now costing taxpayers $30,000 per
person. Money that could be used to improve other vital parts of our
society.


A. Marijuana is a naturally occurring substance that is grown from the
earth with no additives or artificial toxins whatsoever it has shown no
harm in long-term users and has actually been proven not to be as
addictive as legal substances such as alcohol.
i. Pretty much every modern president has either admitted to
the use of marijuana or refused to deny it, Famous and well-
respected people in society such as Oprah Winfrey and Maya
Angelou have admitted to frequent use of marijuana.
ii. A study out of the UK states that Marijuana Smokers are
actually smarter than the average person, Men and Women
who scored high on tests as kids were 50 percent more likely
to use marijuana as adults.
iii. A Yale study actually proves that alcohol is the real gateway
drug as opposed to marijuana, despite the fact that alcohol is
legal and marijuana isnt.