Marijuana Use - A Persuasive Argument Essay - 866 Words

Richard Lowry has been the editor of National Review since 1997. He joined the magazine’s staff in 1992 after graduating from the University of Virginia, where he edited a conservative monthly magazine called the Virginia Advocate. In 1994, he moved to Washington, D.C. to cover Congress. At 33, Rich Lowry is not what most people expect of the editor of the National Review. Lowry is constantly taking readers by surprise, presenting them with his humor, his depth of knowledge and his enthusiasm. Lowry presents an argument on the issues of marijuana usage. The article Weed Whackers, was published by the National Review on August 20, 2001. In the 19th century, cultural prejudices have been formed, fighting against the usage of marijuana.†¦show more content†¦He acknowledges the anti-marijuana claims and rationalizes with them. However, he then continues to make logical rebuttals. For example, Lowry does not deny that marijuana is an addictive drug. However, he backs up hi s statement with a report from The Lancet stating, About one and ten of those who ever use cannabis become dependent on it at some time during their 4 or 5 years of heaviest use. Lowry presents a statistic that shows how little people actually become addictive to the drug. This technique is persuasive because he presents both sides of the story. Although Lowry is not an expert in the field, nor does he have first-hand experience, his argument remains persuasive due to the credibility of his sources. Lowry uses factual evidence from the Institute of Medicine, the National Academy of Sciences and The Lancet. These are credible and believable sources, which help make Lowry’s argument persuasive. Lowry presents his audience with information regarding the gateway theory. The gateway theory tends to side with anti-marijuana forces, arguing that those who use marijuana tend to engage in other drugs. He states that this idea is a way for people to put blame cocaine and heroin usage on marijuana. Lowry uses a statistic from the Institute of Medicine which shows that of 34 to 35 year old men who had used marijuana 10-99 times by the age of 24-25, 75% never used any other illicit drug. He argues that the use of otherShow MoreRelatedWhy Marijuana Should Be Legal Everywhere1557 Words   |  7 Pagesunique stance on any contro versial subject, and marijuana is no different. Marijuana is a very important topic of discussion especially in the current election season. The drug is discussed on television, social media, and virtually everywhere on the internet. 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