Sr. Emily Wallace and Frosh. Chris Guerrero face off in defending their views on recreational marijuana legalization.
Chris Guerrero’s View
Legalizing marijuana does not cause problems, it SOLVES problems.
Sr. Emily Wallace has a very firm stance against the future of legalized marijuana. Emily believes that Marijuana will drive users to turn against their own unique personalities and convert them into “stoners”. Emily exaggerates that potential problem while overlooking the huge benefits. One powerful example relates to the Flint water crisis.
The problem in Flint originated from lack of funding and Marijuana solves that problem. According to the Guardian, “…the decision to switch the Michigan city’s drinking water source to the Flint River was aimed at saving $5m but almost two years later the cost to treat the water supply carries a tag of $45m and it’s climbing.” A way to save money ended up giving the state more than it bargained for. I really don’t understand why Emily can’t see how Marijuana can fix the financial problems Michigan is in right now!
The water switch will cost Flint and Michigan an estimated total of $767,419,500 and there is no alternative, none. The only real solution here is to legalize marijuana and help support the city in need. According to Nerdwallet, if marijuana was legalized, tax revenues would make around $122,065,853. That would just be 15% tax on weed but, if Michigan wanted to raise taxes, they would make more money. Although the taxes would not cover the amount needed, it would at least make a difference on what this state needs to help Flint.
Even if she might not like the idea of legalizing a plant, Emily should at least agree that this money could gradually release Flint out of its crisis. This whole crisis would have never happened if the state would have had enough money to cover the costs Flint needed in the first place. A cost marijuana would have covered, still could, and could prevent future crisis’ from occurring.
Not only could the state collect revenue but, Michigan could save much of the money taxpayers are using in order to lock up citizens who are found with some form of marijuana possession. In Michigan of the year 2014, there were 20,483 arrests connected to marijuana. If the drug was legalized, that number would be zero and money would be returned back into the state’s budget. Emily I really just can’t wrap my head around on why you do not agree that the weed that is legalized could be put to a greater use, help run this state and increase funding for important causes in this state.
Emily sees keeping a natural drug prohibited as a good thing. If you think that legalizing marijuana is a bad thing just because people might become weed addicts, then you are wrong. That is like saying that people who drink alcohol are alcoholics. Legalizing marijuana is what will expand Michigan’s budget and bring aid to Flint citizens. Your ideology is what will bring this state to another financial crisis.
Emily Wallace’s View
Frosh. Chris Guerrero has a very firm stance on the future of legalized marijuana. He believes that Marijuana will have no negative effects on Michigan if legislation were to make it legal. Chris exaggerates the potential gain while overlooking the huge detriments to our society. Though it may make the government money, the effect of marijuana on the Michigan is not worth making the drug legal.
Think of 10 people you know that use marijuana. No, I’m not talking medically. I’m talking about the people who enjoy their brownies a certain way or who always have their eye drops ready to go after they smoke out in Riley Trails. Think about them really hard. What traits are common among those people? Are they known for working hard or their motivation? Are they model citizens? Leaders with integrity?
Now, I’m not saying that all people that choose to use marijuana are horrible people and should be locked away for all of eternity. What I am saying is that a majority of the time, those people don’t prioritize making our world a better place. They’d rather blaze up out in the parking lot than finish their project for their business class. I don’t know about Chris, but I certainly don’t want that to be the future of America, or Michigan nonetheless. If our state were to legalize marijuana, we’d see a widespread plague take over our society.
I’d expect an exponential decrease in progress for Michigan. Instead of only a few high students sitting in the back of a bustling learning environment, potheads would fill the classroom. Instead of job applicants going above and beyond to be the best candidate, Michigan’s workforce would take on the traits of the marijuana users we already have at the bottom of society. Police officers, teachers, doctors, and engineers, it’d even affect them. Those 10 people you know that use marijuana now would be the leaders of tomorrow. The pillars of our society. With this in mind, it’s clear that legalizing marijuana would be a self-inflicted disaster to say the least. This is the exact opposite of what we need.
Chris sees this issue as minuscule, something we can overcome for the sake of generating revenue. This is ludicrous. The US doesn’t go around selling weapons of mass destruction just so they can make a buck. It might not be on the same level, but the concept is the same. Keeping marijuana illegal is protecting US citizens and should continue. He says that the Flint water crisis is the biggest issue Michigan has ever faced, yet this is mimicking what happened. Government officials cut corners and risked citizens’ safety to put money elsewhere. Is that not exactly what Chris is proposing? His argument asks that we ignore the harms of legalizing marijuana for the sake of funding other areas. I say that we reject this nonsense and work together to solve Michigan’s financial problems without legalizing weed. His ideas are just poor excuses to let Michigan get high and not face potential jail time.
He says that the Flint water crisis is the biggest issue Michigan has ever faced, yet this is mimicking what happened. Government officials cut corners and risked citizens’ safety to put money elsewhere. Is that not exactly what Chris is proposing? His argument asks that we ignore the harms of legalizing marijuana for the sake of funding other areas. I say that we reject this nonsense and work together to solve Michigan’s financial problems without legalizing weed. His ideas are just poor excuses to let Michigan get high and not face potential jail time.
