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Directions: Provided below is a sample of a classical argument. We will color code the essay for important characteristics so that you can understand the format of this type of essay. Underline the thesisColor 1 ________ topic sentencesColor 2 ________ linking sentencesColor 3 ________ transition words/phrases Color 4 ________ MLA formattingStreeter 1Lynn Streeter Dr. Brown English 102 4 February 2008 Legalize It * Title In 2000, George Bierson’s "Marijuana, the Deceptive Drug," was published by the Massachusetts News. In his article, Bierson concludes that marijuana is harmful in many ways, such as damaging the brain, reproductive system, and weakening the immune system. He also attempts to convince the reader that marijuana is a "gateway drug" that leads the users to venture into much harder drugs. Sadly, Bierson’s mindset is the mindset of many Americans today. In truth, many of Bierson’s claims and the claims of Bierson supporters are not reinforced by his research; as it turns out, the benefits of legalizing marijuana vastly outweigh the supposed harms of using it. (Introduction P – starts w/ a hook don’t start with a question or a definition. Try: using imagery (painting a picture), use a quote, use an interesting fact/statistic.) One of Bierson’s strongest supporting claims is of the physical harms of marijuana. He argues that the infamous trials of Dr. Robert Heath's (a man who tested the effects of marijuana by studying the brains of Rhesus monkeys who had been exposed to marijuana smoke) show conclusive evidence of brain damage; however, he fails to mention that the tests were later discredited. The monkeys were given extremely high doses, doses much higher than that of the average recreational or medical marijuana user, and the test’s sample size was too small (Heath 24). More current studies of people who are heavy marijuana smokers show no evidence of brain damage (Thomas 17). Similarly, his claims of damage to both the reproductive system and the immune system are again based on invalid experiments of nearly lethal doses administered to mice and other animals, not humans. Moreover, several studies of the effects of marijuana on the human reproductive and immune systems have failed to demonstrate negative effects. If it cannot be proven, truly proven, that marijuana is negatively impacting its users, then it should be legalized so that the government and country can benefit from its production and sale. (Confirmation – 1st supporting P.) The benefits vastly outweigh the so-called drawbacks. For example, according to Dr. Melanie Dreher, a famous researcher who has done countless studies on the effects of marijuana on the human body and the use of consumption during pregnancy, states that she has found no link to any form of birth defects and that the children tend to be smarter than children born of non-using mothers (531). In fact, the use of marijuana during a woman's pregnancy can decrease nausea and excessive vomiting, help maintain a healthy appetite, and improves the child's birth weight (Dreher 17). Additionally, studies have shown that marijuana can benefit someone who's facing a mental illness, struggling with depression, and victims of cancer. There is no linking sentence. (Confirmation – 2nd supporting P.) Despite the countless positive effects of marijuana usage, there are still many people who do not believe that it should be legalized. One of the longest standing arguments against the legalization of marijuana is that it gives users a "gateway" to harder or more illicit drug use. Bierson states in his article that "marijuana is the seed from which the scourge of drug abuse grows. If we stop the marijuana, we will stop the rest of drug abuse" (9). The simple fact that many heroin and cocaine users used marijuana first does not conclude that the latter is the result of the first. Bierson’s argument against marijuana alone becomes suspect, as most of these heroin and cocaine abusers had also previously used alcohol and tobacco. People need to be held accountable for their decisions and free will; you cannot overgeneralize and apply such a general idea as a drug being a “gateway” to an entire population. No one claims beer to be a gateway to hard liquor. If marijuana was legalized and mandated the way that alcohol and tobacco has been for centuries, the government could dictate regulations and restrictions for those who would potentially abuse its use and do away with the “gateway” myth. (Concession & refutation – 3rd body paragraph) There are very clear points that prove legalizing marijuana would only help the United States.?The pro-marijuana legalization is backed with many facts that make it the better option while the “nay-sayers” are driven by a false assumption that marijuana is a terrible drug that only causes problems (repeating major ideas). Rather than supporting the opinions of an essayist who cannot even get his facts straight, America needs to do its own research and come to the right conclusion: marijuana legalization is only beneficial. (Conclusion – reiterate your key ideas AND extend your argument. Call to action.) ................
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