Persuasive Outline Essays (413 words) - Cannabis,

Persuasive Outline Topic: Legalization of Marijuana Audience: Essay General Purpose: To persuade Specific Purpose: To persuade my audience that hearing is very valuable and if some precautions are not taken then it may be lost forever. Thesis: I. Introduction A. Attention Getter: Did you know that the American government spends more than 20 billion a year on marijuana prohibition? B. Reason to Listen: Legalizing marijuana will have a positive effect on our country. C. Thesis Statement: Marijuana prohibition is ineefective because of its high cost, infringement of personal liberties, does not help, and has strong potential for medicinal use. people of all ages. D. Credibility Statement: 1. I have done research on the internet and from reading a TIME magazine article on this topic. 2. I have previous background knowledge on this topic E. Preview of Main Points: III. Conclusion A. Review of Main Points: 1. Liberty: people deserve freedom to use marijuana. 2. Cost: keeping marijuana illegal is expensive. 3. Failure: prohibition doesn't help. B. Restate Thesis: : Marijuana prohibition is ineefective because of its high cost, infringement of personal liberties, does not help, and has strong potential for medicinal use. Point 1 - Liberty: From a philosophical point of view, individuals deserve the right to make choices for themselves. Marijuana is far less dangerous than some drugs which are legal, such as alcohol and tobacco Marijuana use does not endanger others and so therefore the government has no reasonable cause to ban its use. SUMMARY:Individuals deserve the right to decide whether or not they should use marijuana. The government should not tell individuals what to do as long as they do not harm others. Point 2 -Cost: keeping marijuana illegal is expensive: It would save our government lots of money. Marijuana users often get locked up in prison and the taxpayers have pay. In addition, if marijuana were legal, the government would be able to collect taxes on it, and would have a lot more money to pay for effective drug education programs and other important causes. SUMMARY:We would have more money to spend on important problems if marijuana were legal. Point 3; Fa ilure: prohibition doesn't help There is no good evidence that prohibition decreases drug use, and there are several theories that suggest prohibition might actually increase drug use One unintended effect of marijuana prohibition is that marijuana is very popular in American high schools. SUMMARY:Prohibition does not work. Education and treatment are better ways to address the drug problem.