Going Green: Analyzing Marijuana Legalization

Catherine Williamson

Mr. Benjamin Bergholtz

English 2001

21 February 2014

Going Green: Analyzing Marijuana Legalization

        The controversial issue of legalizing marijuana is currently the topic of countless debates. Recently, an article was written in the Huffington Post informing Americans of significant facts about legalizing marijuana.  In “Important Facts About Marijuana Legalization”, Caulkin, Hawken, Kilmer, and Kleiman’s ample use of statistics shows their irrefutable credibility and uses it to their advantage in influencing and informing their readers. The authors believe that these are the essential facts Americans should know before making the decision to vote for or against legalizing marijuana. The use of logos throughout the article is significant in heightening their argument, along with their use of ethos. In an alternative article, “Why It’s Always Been Time to Legalize Marijuana”, in The Nation newspaper, Katrina Vanden Heuvel seems to have an opposing way of presenting her views on this topic while still making the same initial claim as the Huffington Post. Heuvel presents her claim in a political viewpoint and relies on pathos to influence her readers. She makes the assumption that the readers will think more with their hearts than heads. Although Heuve’ls article, “Why It’s Always Been Time to Legalize Marijuana”, makes a good argument by clearly stating her claim, Caulkin and the other authors’ article “Important Facts About Marijuana Legalization” ultimately makes the better argument by their use of ethos and logos. Caulkin and the other authors substantial use of statics heightens their credibility, but Heuvel’s appeal to the reader’s pathos shows her lack of credible evidence, therefore preventing her from citing relevant facts.  As a result, the authors of “Important Facts About Marijuana Legalization” make the better argument and overall persuade their readers.

The Huffington Post’s article “Important Facts About Marijuana Legalization”, attempts to inform Americans on some realities about marijuana by linking it to alcohol and other drugs. The writer attempts to set up the two in an opposing manner by comparing the amount of use, likelihood of abuse, and the risk factor of legalization. According to Caulkins, Hawken, Kilmer, and Kleiman, “only about one in sixteen American adults used marijuana at all in the course of a typical year; for alcohol, that figure is more than half” (“Important Facts About Marijuana Legalization”). Basically, the writers are proposing that marijuana is not very risky to legalize. The likelihood of dependence or addiction to marijuana is rather low and only a minority suffers from this type of substance abuse. Caulkins, Hawken, Kilmer, and Kleiman state, “only about 30 percent of those who are estimated to have used on more than half the days in the last year self-report systems that suggest a diagnosis of abuse or dependence. The corresponding figure for cocaine is 88 percent” (“Important Facts About Marijuana Legalization”). In other words, the writers believe that based on these statistics, when comparing marijuana to other drugs and substances, it is not very harmful. This is extremely relevant to the writer’s argument because it supports their claim in giving Americans important facts about legalizing marijuana while also persuading the readers to believe marijuana is not as dangerous as sometimes made out to be.