Paper
Kalolina Osai
POLS 1100
U.S. Government & Politics
Paper
Should “Recreational” Drugs be Legalized?
The political issue this paper will be talking about is if recreational drugs should be legalized or not. First of all, recreational drugs are drugs that are used without any medical justification for its psychoactive effects in the belief that occasional use of such a substance is not habit-forming or addictive. A few examples of what a recreational drug is are the following: cocaine, marijuana, or methamphetamine.
There are two different sides to this issue. There’s the yes side and the no side. The yes side are the people who think and want all of these recreational drugs to be legalized and this article was written by Professor Bryan Stevenson. The one recreational drug they kept bring up that should be legal is marijuana. He believe that things like opium, heroin and cocaine are a whole lot more powerful, addictive, and less prevalent than marijuana and so they think that the ban on marijuana should be removed.
Professor Stevenson, who are on this side also think that if the government and state legalize some of these illegal drugs, then the people who were dealing with these drugs would have to find a new and more effective strategy in the 21st century. Something else that Professor Bryan thinks is that if these drugs were legalized, especially marijuana then they could provide clean needles and supplies to those who are addicted, and it would stop one another from sharing needles that helped spread HIV infection and AIDs.
The other side is the opposing side and it is the no side. This side is the side with the people who do not want any recreational drugs to be legalized, and this article was written Charles D. Stimson, a former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense. He mostly talks about the recreational drug marijuana, and he explains that marijuana is very dangerous and should not be legalized. In this article, Charles brings up the fact that there are quite a few people who think that marijuana is not dangerous like some of the other legalized drugs and it is in a way like alcohol and it should be legalized.
He explains how marijuana and alcohol are not the same, and that any amount of marijuana is unsafe to everyone. He explains many of the risks that come from taking such as for example, marijuana use is associated with memory loss, cancer, immune system deficiencies, heart disease, birth effects and many other conditions. He also talks about how addictive marijuana is and how it is just as dangerous as any other recreational drug that is also illegal to use. Another thing this article talked about was how illegal drugs such as marijuana are responsible for some of the violence and social decline that is happening in America.
Both of these articles were written very well and had a lot of points that makes one really think. Personally, I believe that the argument that I found to be the most persuasive would have to be the second article, the side who does not want recreational drugs to be legalized and there are a few reasons why I think it was more persuasive. To start off Charles D. Stimson asked a lot of questions that made me think about what would happen if marijuana was legalized, and it peaked my interest. Another thing that helped his paper more persuasive was that he wrote it in a way that was a lot easier to read and follow along to what he had to say.
I believe that Charles was able to support their position very accurately and had some very good points. He was able to separate facts from his own opinion, and I think he was able to remain objective. He was very convincing because he relies on logic and facts, and a little pit of emotional appeal. I think Charles did consider the opposing argument and the evidence into account, but there was a lot more evidence and facts that makes more sense and is very reasonable as well as very convincing. I also believe that all of his evidence was up-to-date and I truly think that all of the evidence and all of the facts that he had used were needed and relevant to what he had to say about recreational drugs should not be allowed to be legal.
After reading both of those articles it helped me confirmed where I stand with this issue. The side I agree with more would have to be the side that recreational drugs should not be legalized. I think that recreational drugs should not ever become legal because it does so much harm to people and I don’t see any of the good it does. A lot of the things that writer of the second article, Charles, had a lot of good points, and all of the things he said that were facts were true and makes a whole lot of sense. I know that these recreational drugs are dangerous and they do destroy the human body. I was already on side of this issues even before I got this assignment. I do not like recreational drugs and I hope that they do not get legalized for it has damaged people’s relationship as well as their own health.
Considering where I stand, there are things in the opposing arguments that make it weak not as persuading. One of the reasons is that in this argument, Professor Bryan Stevenson says that the recreational drug marijuana is not a powerful drug like the other recreational drug such as opium, heroin, and cocaine. They also say it is not very addicting and so the ban on marijuana should be removed. But that fact is wrong for marijuana is a very addicting drug and it caused so many health issues to those who are taking the drug.
POLS 1100
U.S. Government & Politics
Paper
Should “Recreational” Drugs be Legalized?
The political issue this paper will be talking about is if recreational drugs should be legalized or not. First of all, recreational drugs are drugs that are used without any medical justification for its psychoactive effects in the belief that occasional use of such a substance is not habit-forming or addictive. A few examples of what a recreational drug is are the following: cocaine, marijuana, or methamphetamine.
There are two different sides to this issue. There’s the yes side and the no side. The yes side are the people who think and want all of these recreational drugs to be legalized and this article was written by Professor Bryan Stevenson. The one recreational drug they kept bring up that should be legal is marijuana. He believe that things like opium, heroin and cocaine are a whole lot more powerful, addictive, and less prevalent than marijuana and so they think that the ban on marijuana should be removed.
Professor Stevenson, who are on this side also think that if the government and state legalize some of these illegal drugs, then the people who were dealing with these drugs would have to find a new and more effective strategy in the 21st century. Something else that Professor Bryan thinks is that if these drugs were legalized, especially marijuana then they could provide clean needles and supplies to those who are addicted, and it would stop one another from sharing needles that helped spread HIV infection and AIDs.
The other side is the opposing side and it is the no side. This side is the side with the people who do not want any recreational drugs to be legalized, and this article was written Charles D. Stimson, a former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense. He mostly talks about the recreational drug marijuana, and he explains that marijuana is very dangerous and should not be legalized. In this article, Charles brings up the fact that there are quite a few people who think that marijuana is not dangerous like some of the other legalized drugs and it is in a way like alcohol and it should be legalized.
He explains how marijuana and alcohol are not the same, and that any amount of marijuana is unsafe to everyone. He explains many of the risks that come from taking such as for example, marijuana use is associated with memory loss, cancer, immune system deficiencies, heart disease, birth effects and many other conditions. He also talks about how addictive marijuana is and how it is just as dangerous as any other recreational drug that is also illegal to use. Another thing this article talked about was how illegal drugs such as marijuana are responsible for some of the violence and social decline that is happening in America.
Both of these articles were written very well and had a lot of points that makes one really think. Personally, I believe that the argument that I found to be the most persuasive would have to be the second article, the side who does not want recreational drugs to be legalized and there are a few reasons why I think it was more persuasive. To start off Charles D. Stimson asked a lot of questions that made me think about what would happen if marijuana was legalized, and it peaked my interest. Another thing that helped his paper more persuasive was that he wrote it in a way that was a lot easier to read and follow along to what he had to say.
I believe that Charles was able to support their position very accurately and had some very good points. He was able to separate facts from his own opinion, and I think he was able to remain objective. He was very convincing because he relies on logic and facts, and a little pit of emotional appeal. I think Charles did consider the opposing argument and the evidence into account, but there was a lot more evidence and facts that makes more sense and is very reasonable as well as very convincing. I also believe that all of his evidence was up-to-date and I truly think that all of the evidence and all of the facts that he had used were needed and relevant to what he had to say about recreational drugs should not be allowed to be legal.
After reading both of those articles it helped me confirmed where I stand with this issue. The side I agree with more would have to be the side that recreational drugs should not be legalized. I think that recreational drugs should not ever become legal because it does so much harm to people and I don’t see any of the good it does. A lot of the things that writer of the second article, Charles, had a lot of good points, and all of the things he said that were facts were true and makes a whole lot of sense. I know that these recreational drugs are dangerous and they do destroy the human body. I was already on side of this issues even before I got this assignment. I do not like recreational drugs and I hope that they do not get legalized for it has damaged people’s relationship as well as their own health.
Considering where I stand, there are things in the opposing arguments that make it weak not as persuading. One of the reasons is that in this argument, Professor Bryan Stevenson says that the recreational drug marijuana is not a powerful drug like the other recreational drug such as opium, heroin, and cocaine. They also say it is not very addicting and so the ban on marijuana should be removed. But that fact is wrong for marijuana is a very addicting drug and it caused so many health issues to those who are taking the drug.
Reflection
When I was writing this paper, I learned a lot about this political issue. One thing for sure I can say is that recreational drugs do more harm than good in any case. I also learned that both sides had some very good points, but in the end the side that does not want legalized drugs is the one that was most persuasive. But I also learned that there are people out there who truly believe that marijuana should not be illegal and that it isn’t as addicting as some other drugs.
Because of this POLS 1100 course, I was able to take what I learned from class and I was able to put it into its assignments. I was able to put it into a more personal context, for I know that recreational drugs are very addicting and they ruin peoples lives. I also know that if simple drugs such as cigarettes are addicting then these recreational drugs are even more powerful and dangerous.
I was able to learn a lot more facts on this issue and I have become a bit more education on this topic. Because of what I have learned, I have been able to intellectual context, for there are fact that can not be denied that are true on both sides. And for the academic context, I feel like I have learned a lot more then I have in the past about this certain political issue. Because of this assignment I am more aware about what’s going on with this political issue and which side I stand on.
Because of this POLS 1100 course, I was able to take what I learned from class and I was able to put it into its assignments. I was able to put it into a more personal context, for I know that recreational drugs are very addicting and they ruin peoples lives. I also know that if simple drugs such as cigarettes are addicting then these recreational drugs are even more powerful and dangerous.
I was able to learn a lot more facts on this issue and I have become a bit more education on this topic. Because of what I have learned, I have been able to intellectual context, for there are fact that can not be denied that are true on both sides. And for the academic context, I feel like I have learned a lot more then I have in the past about this certain political issue. Because of this assignment I am more aware about what’s going on with this political issue and which side I stand on.