The legalization of marijuana brings with it countless complications through which city officials must navigate. "How to Legalize Pot" is an article written by Bill Keller with the New York Times on May 20, 2013, discussing the struggles that city officials face in order to create an industry out of a previously criminalized substance. The article, albeit informative, fails to provide examples of an effectively regulated marijuana market. Instead, Keller opts to list the reasons why full legalization might not succeed. While I agree with Keller on the points he makes, there is an overwhelming sense of bias in this article as it resembles an opinion. Moreover, the article is written in a second person point of view, strengthening the sense that …show more content…
Keller incorporates political, financial, and ethical influences into his arguments. He starts the article off by stating that marijuana will inevitably be legalized, but that there are obstacles that are to be overcome; particularly the law itself. Marijuana is still considered a criminal and illegal substance, the possession of which leads to arrest and detainment. Therefore, requiring the government to review their legislation, and create new enforcement guidelines. In addition, there are other issues such as manufacturing regulations, monetary gain, and ways to test degrees of consumption. Keller predicts it will be quite difficult for the government to regulate the labs and the products manufactured in them. According to Keller, as it is a completely new market, there were no tests done carried out in the past to determine the effects on a person and their body, so the government will need sanction those in due course. The article urges us to believe that legalization of marijuana is complicated, difficult, and borderline impossible. Keller wants us to accept his points at face value while creating doubt that this will be an achievable …show more content…
An informative article's purpose is to provide the reader with as much information as possible while making sure to impartial to the subject matter. Nevertheless, Keller writes with a determination to sway his readers into believing that this task is close to impossible to achieve. Had he cited examples of cities that have a functioning system of managing legalized marijuana, he would have provided his readers with both sides of the coin. Furthermore, Keller mainly refers to the issues surrounding legalizing marijuana and fails to provide the positive implications of doing so. He refrains from mentioning the decreased criminal activity, the beaten out black market activity, and the overall increased safety of the people indirectly involved in such activities. This subject is still quite controversial despite the inevitable result of legalization; not everyone is for it, and this means that people still need to see the positive influences marijuana can have - not just the negative consequences. At the beginning of the article, Keller begins by stating an opinion of his own, "You don't have to be a prohibitionist to recognize that pot, especially in adolescents and very heavy users, can seriously mess with your brain." (Keller, 2013). This statement evokes a strong reaction from his readers as it is biased and not an actual
Introduction Michelle Alexander’s article, “In Legalizing Marijuana, End the Racial Bias,” was published in May 2013 by the New York Times online. In this article, the author asserts that there is a correlation between the “war on marijuana” and racial profiling, creating an endemic of racial disparities. The author suggests that when the system punishes someone in possession of marijuana, more particularly a colored youth, they become a “second-class” citizen. Their rights are reduced exponentially and are “discriminated against legally” and labeled as criminals. This leaves them at a major disadvantage at an early age.
In a 1970 article about drugs, narcotics, and the government, “Drugs: Case for Legalizing Marijuana”, Gore Vidal explores how the illegalization of marijuana has created the opposite effect of what the legislation has intended to do. Vidal’s explanation and reasoning behind this idea is not entirely associated with drug users and the population in general, but also has a strong link to monetary gains in government bureaus and large-scale mafias. These financial motive claims are supported by logical appeal and evidence.1 To begin, Vidal points out that, “both the Bureau of Narcotics and the Mafia want strong laws against the sale and use of drugs because if drugs are sold at cost there would be no money in it for anyone” (par. 10). This statement
Weed! Article Analysis The article, “Weed!”, written by Toby Sells and Micaela Watts, touches on the strictness of marijuana laws in the South. This article explores the racial injustices and penalizations African Americans face with marijuana possession. It outlines the effects the law has on who the police arrest and utilizes each rhetorical appeal to argue how softening the laws would be beneficial.
In the past decade, a number of movements to legalize the use of marijuana has been gaining momentum. According to the 2016 Gallup survey, a record high 60% of Americans say that marijuana should be legalized and this figure marks a 9% increase compared to 2014. Support for legalizing marijuana was 31% in 2000, 50% in 2016 before reaching 60% last year. This shows that despite government efforts to eliminate its use, marijuana is becoming more popular. It is clear that
Back in the early twentieth century, marijuana was mainly used for medical purposes in the US. Now, both it 's recreational and medical use is increasingly being consumed by the population and the tendency is to continue increasing. Much has been said about the use of marijuana as a solution to different health problems, and although not everything that is said is true, it cannot be ignored that marijuana can help in the treatment of some cases of adult patients. CNN’s chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, was opposed to the medicinal use of cannabis. Based on his knowledge as a neurologist, he was convinced that the drug was dangerous and had dismissed its supposed therapeutic benefits.
The truth about marijuana is that it should be legalized, and this is the stance that the documentary, “The Union: The Business Behind Getting High” is taking. The film uses great examples of ethos, pathos, and logos in an effective and persuasive way. “The Union: The Business Behind Getting High” details the hypocrisy in keeping marijuana illegal while having tobacco, a far more dangerous drug, legal, the reasons behind marijuana being illegal flipping to the complete opposite of its origin as an illegal substance, how marijuana is one of the most versatile and healthy herbs on the planet and how it is inexpensive compared to its substitutes, and how so much money is being put into a war against marijuana, even though it is an unwinnable
Kris Krane is the Director of Cannabis Development for KCSA Strategic Communications, a leading public relations and investor relations firm with a robust cannabis practice (Krane). The author of the article Cannabis Legalization is Key to Economic Recovery, much like Ending Alcohol Prohibition Helped Us Out of The Great Depression persuades his audience with logical and ethical explanations through his article why cannabis should be legalized for economic and job growth. As he uses rhetoric throughout his article to persuade his audience with evidence and good storyline. Using logical and ethical reasoning in his article, Krane shows the legalization of cannabis will offer more jobs and help the economy after the shutdown covid-19 caused
As a nation we have come to point where we must take a unified stand on the issue of marijuana. Since 1937 the drug has been deemed illegal by the U.S. government but over the best decade, people have been pushing for the decriminalization of the cannabis plant. As a non drug user, i have researched the internet in search of unbiased information regarding the drugs health, economic, and crime influences on society. The fruits of my labor have brought me to the undisputable conclusion that our continued restriction on possession and use of the drug not only violates the liberties of U.S. citizens, but it also is costing Americans Billions of dollars, and something, our lives.
In the 1960’s marijuana use had no outstanding effects on the United States people but in today's society the use of marijuana had become a huge epidemic over the past years. Even though it has been scientifically proven that marijuana can help seizures, Crohn’s, and effects of cancer, yet many people in today's society still believe that it has no use. In the United States 45 percent of drug arrest in 2013 were due to marijuana, but at Woodstock in 1969 when there was a controversial “Drug War” no one was arrested for marijuana (Merino par. 3). The use of marijuana is more strict in the United States now then it was in
Simultaneously organizing Marijuana farming can be an economic stroke for the federal agencies too. The illegal Marijuana market which is valued at 141.80 billion US dollars presents a great deal of opportunity for the government. The struggle of the marijuana advocates is to convince their fellow lawmakers at the state and national level to acknowledge the medical and economic opportunities which the legalization of the drug can have. The move is towards the acceptance of the drug with the fact that: Marijuana is medicine and it should be treated and
The topic of this controversial essay will be about is the legalization of marijuana. I will be advocating for the legalization of marijuana. The legalization of marijuana is so controversial because it was outlawed in the past, but now people are discovering new things it could do and wish to have it legalized once again. The legalization of marijuana can offer medical benefits, generate a lot of tax money, and decreases prisoner space. The legalization of marijuana can offer many health benefits.
The debate about legalizing marijuana has always been a lively debate exists, and has become controversial topics in the United States for decades. Although smoking and using marijuana were widespread in many parts of the world for thousands of years, but the debate about the advantages and disadvantages of it does not seem to the end. The two media sources that have become involved in this debate through different types of media biases for example: selection of sources, story selection, placement, labeling, and spin, so as to present opposite political perspectives through the two articles: “Legal Marijuana is the fastest-growing industry in the U.S” and “Carly Fiorina says ‘no’ to marijuana, but respects state rights.”
Today the demands are changing in different states. In States such as Colorado and Washington, marijuana has been legalized for recreational use. This move raised several questions as far as decriminalization of marijuana is concerned. Besides portraying the US in a bad light, legalization of marijuana for recreation increases the risk of developing mental problems, increases government expenditure on public health, jeopardizes the future of children, and is a gateway to other dangerous drugs. Increased health problems and public health expenditure-
The history of marijuana as well as the information and studies drawn and discussed in this essay show that marijuana legalization for medical and/or recreational purposes will not only positively impact society, but also change the society’s idea of marijuana use as a deviant act. Deviant behavior negatively impacts society, therefore the idea that marijuana use is a positive impact for society will, in turn, change the idea that marijuana use is an act/form of
Why Marijuana Should be Legal Marijuana is a very prominent issue in society today. Many false and slanderous things have been said about marijuana in recent times. But the truth about marijuana continues to reveal itself. Sadly these truths are being criticised because of the stereotypical view that many people call the typical “pot smoker”.