The Opposition

We are the opposition. We are here to inform you of important information regarding the marijuana legalization act in Illinois via the following op-ed. In this second unit of Rhetoric, we learned about stylistic devices, European Colonization, and how to advertise with rhetoric. We also went to interesting places around Chicago, including Leo Burnett and the Chicago Music Exchange, and talked to people like, Troy Laraviere. At the end of this unit, we learned about op-eds and how they communicate a person’s point-of-view. We were given the assignment to read an op-ed by Troy Laraviere in the process of making this one. In my action project, I write about the marijuana legalization act in Illinois in the form of an op-ed. I write about how it can affect our state, positively and negatively. The requirements for an op-ed are quick paragraphs, timely topics, the use of rhetorical appeals, the use of stylistic devices, and the arguments I bring towards it. I hope you enjoy!

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I am a 16 year-old high school junior in Chicago. I have never smoked or done drugs. One of my top priorities, as a student, is to be aware of current events - political and social. According to a Chicago Tribune article, some say the marijuana legalization act in Illinois will drive the state into madness, while others say it will be beneficial to have easier access to this drug. Personally, I am against drug use, and I am certain several people reading this know why. Drugs alter a person's thinking and judgment. Drugs lead to addiction and serious health risks. We have always been taught that drugs are bad. However, are ALL drugs bad? This is why I wanted to know more about the pros and cons of the marijuana legalization act.

The most obvious conclusion from legalizing marijuana in Illinois would be the decrease of arrests for people smoking or possessing weed. Yet, according to the law of conservation of mass, we cannot get rid of something, such as those numbers, without gaining something in return. In this case, if we legalize marijuana in Illinois, less people will go to jail, but more people might end up smoking it. In other words, there must be a better solution that doesn’t involve people increasing their marijuana use.

Illustrated by SN, October 2019

What are the main reasons marijuana should be legalized in Illinois? The Chicago Tribune states, “Legalizing marijuana is expected to generate revenue in the coming budget year to help restore poverty- and crime-ridden communities and fund substance abuse, mental health and law enforcement services.” In other words, legalizing marijuana will add money to the economy, create thousands of jobs, free up police resources, and stop huge racial disparities in areas where marijuana use and sales are higher. Legalizing marijuana will also be made safer through testing, labeling, and packaging. Keeping our police officers focused on more important issues, while creating jobs seems like a good thing, right?

Well, we can not guarantee all of those things will happen. What motivates people to even come up with the idea of legalizing marijuana in Illinois? I want to know if this act will actually help us reach those goals, or if it will just let people smoke weed without having to meet a dealer in an alley and risk getting arrested. I realize weed has many physical benefits - it helps relieve stress, reduces the perception of pain, and helps people deal with the side effects of chemotherapy and other treatments for chronic illnesses. Legalizing marijuana in Illinois would ensure these people don’t get fined or get arrested for possession. If you need weed to relax, it should be regulated with a prescription from your doctor. No one wants you behind the wheel, operating heavy machinery, or caring for children while you are high as a kite. Remember: drugs alter a person’s thinking and judgment. If any random person (without stress or illness) just gets high recreationally, they can disturb or endanger the people around them.

It is annoying that, as a teen in Chicago, my chips are being gambled away by someone else’s decision. I don’t want to smoke weed. I don’t want to become addicted. Do I believe in medical marijuana? Yes. Should we arrest every person in possession of weed, even if they don’t “need” it? No. Instead of legalizing weed, why don’t we create jobs by trying to get those who are addicted some help? This would both decrease the number of people who smoke weed in Illinois and the number of people who get arrested for doing so. IF weed is legalized in Illinois, I hope it is regulated properly, for everyone’s sake. If this was your state, what would you want?


ADDENDUM:
Throughout this op-ed, I used all three rhetorical appeals. One, I showed the value of me as the speaker in this situation by telling the audience the grade I currently am, my age, and where I go to school. Two, I used logic to support my argument when I told the audience the reasons why and why not marijuana should be legalized. Three, I evoked emotion when I stated my deep concerns about marijuana addiction and how I think it will affect people living in Illinois. I also used some stylistic devices, like the time I said that we are “chips that are being gambled away by someone else’s decision” and when I referenced the law of conservation of energy.

Citations
  • Guthmann, Andrea. “Cannabis Tourism: Will Legalized Marijuana Bring Reefer Madness to Illinois?” WTTW News, 30 Sept. 2019, news.wttw.com/2019/09/30/cannabis-tourism-will-legalized-marijuana-bring-reefer-madness-illinois.
  • McCoppin, Robert. “Here's When Marijuana Will Be Legal in Illinois, and Answers to Other Burning Questions about Recreational Weed.” Chicagotribune.com, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2019, www.chicagotribune.com/news/breaking/ct-met-cb-legal-marijuana-illinois-20190531-story.html.
  • “Pros & Cons - ProCon.org.” Recreational Marijuana, marijuana.procon.org/.

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