Psalms White 9/3/2012 Debate 1 Mr.

West Marijuana is the most widely used illegal drug among youth today according to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University. Marijuana has a very negative connotation simply because of the fact that it is illegal in most states. Many people assume but few know the facts. The truth about Marijuana is that is has health benefits, and the legal production of it could boost the American economy considerably. For these two reasons, I stand in firm affirmation of a bill to Legalize Marijuana. Here are just a few facts about Marijuana. Marijuana is one of the names given to the Cannabis sativa plant when it is used as a drug. The active ingredient in marijuana is tetrahydrocannabinol or THC. Marijuana is used because its primary active ingredient, THC, produces a relaxed state and may heighten the senses. My 1st contention for why marijuana should be legalized is that is has health benefits. A 2006 study published in the journal Molecular Pharmaceutics found that THC slows the formation of amyloid plaque. Amyloid plaque is what kills the brain cells of Alzheimers patients and marijuana slows its formation by blocking the enzyme in the brain that creates the plaque. THC and many of the ingredients of the marijuana plant, such as cannabidiol, have relatively potent pain-reducing and anti-inflammatory actions within the body. These effects are

several hundred times more powerful than that of aspirin, allowing doctors in California to treat more than 300,000 cases of migraines with medical marijuana. The active ingredient in marijuana, THC, also controls seizures by binding to the brain cells responsible for controlling excitability and regulating relaxation, according to findings published in Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. Similarly, its effects slow down the tics in those suffering from Tourettes. It is ironic is that Marijuana is illegal, yet offers all of these health benefits; while tobacco is legal and kills tens of thousands of people a year. Its simply illogical. My 2nd contention for legalizing Marijuana is that it would have economic benefits. According to a 2010 study from Cato, legalizing marijuana would generate $8.7 billion in federal and state tax revenue annually. Taxes aren't the only source of revenue that would come from legalizing weed, according to the study. State and local governments also stand to save billions of dollars that they currently spend regulating marijuana use. Tax revenue from medical marijuana dispensaries is already giving state and local budgets a much needed boost. Oakland, California, for example, inhaled $1.4 million, or 3 percent of the city's total business tax revenue from medical marijuana dispensaries last year,The New York Times reports. Meanwhile, the states of Colorado, Maine and Oregon have all pulled in added tax revenue from medical marijuana. If the experience of marijuana growing supplier weGrow is any indication, the marijuana industry could also be a big job creator. The chain has opened stores in California, Arizona and, most recently, Washington D.C. and with each new store 75 indirect jobs are created, according to AZBusiness Magazine.

Assumptions are unopened windows that foolish birds fly into, and their broken bodies are evidence gathered too late. Bryan Davis Basically, assumptions encumber people from finding out the truth. Today I have shared the truth about Marijuana and for these reason, I urge you to vote affirmatively. I now yield the floor to cross examination.