persuasive

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Julian Bourke Persuasive Speech 5/1/2021

Persuasive Speech Formal Outline – Why Medical Marijuana Should Be More Of a Common Treatment

Introduction

I. Attention Getter: Marijuana is the most commonly used illegal drug in the United States, with approximately 22.2 million users each month.

II. Thesis: Today we will learn about medical marijuana, its benefits, and how it compares to pharmaceutical drugs.

III. Preview: First, you learned about the benefits of medical marijuana and its impact, then you learned about the negative effects from pharmaceutical drugs, and finally you learned that medical marijuana is not addictive as you think.

Transition: Let’s begin by talking about the impact medical marijuana and its benefits to life.

Body

I. First Main Point: The benefits of utilizing medicinal marijuana and how it affects the human body.

a. There are hundreds of chemical compounds in cannabis, many of which are cannabinoids. Cannabinoids have been linked to providing relief of chronic pain due to their chemical makeup. Which is why cannabis’ by-product such as medical cannabis is commonly used for chronic pain relief. (Leo, 2020)

b. One of the biggest medical benefits of cannabis is its link to fighting cancer. There is a good amount of evidence that shows cannabinoids can help fight cancer or at least certain types of it.

c. Individuals with ADHD and ADD have trouble focusing on tasks at hand. They tend to have problems with cognitive performance and concentration. Cannabis has shown promise in promoting focus and helping individuals with ADHD/ADD. It is also considered a safer alternative to Adderall. (Leo, 2020)

Transition: While most people have this negative stereotype towards marijuana, pharmaceutical drugs are just as worst as people think.

II. Second Main Point: Negative effects from pharmaceutical treatments and pills.

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a. Unlike marijuana, pharmaceutical drugs have caused death and a long list of side effects

b. From 2011 to mid-2017, the FDA received more than 5.4 million reports of prescription drug adverse events, including more than 1 million deaths. The agency keeps these reports in its FDA Adverse Events Reporting System (FAERS) database. Consumers can search for side effects of specific drugs reported to the FDA at the agency’s Public Dashboard. (Wellness, 2018)

c. Possibly the most common side effects of any prescription drug are gastrointestinal issues, including nausea, constipation and diarrhea, because most drugs go through the digestive system to be absorbed. Other common effects include drowsiness, pain and skin reactions. Minor complications from medical devices could include varying levels of pain.

Transition: Finally, I will discuss how marijuana is not addictive and that pharmaceutical drugs are just as dangerous.

III. Third Main Point: How marijuana is not addictive like the pharmaceutical prescribed drugs.

a. Cannabis medicine works as a safe replacement for opioids without the risk of overdosing. It is extremely unlikely that you would ever ingest or smoke enough marijuana in a short period to actually overdose (you would need to consume about 1,500 pounds in 15 minutes.) (Tuner, 2017)

b. While all medications have side effects, some can cause more harm than others. Certain prescription drugs can cause effects like organ damage or addiction. Medical marijuana has side effects, too, but they don’t result in long-term damage and can often go away when dosage is adjusted.

c. As we get older, we become more susceptible to health problems that have symptoms that are difficult to manage. Fortunately, medical marijuana can assist with alzheimer’s, dementia, osteoporosis, chronic pain, arthritis, glaucoma and other ailments that many elderly people suffer from. (Tuner, 2017)

Transition: Now that you’ve gained knowledge about medical marijuana and that pharmaceutical drugs aren’t as good for you as you originally thought, use this knowledge wisely.

Conclusion: In conclusion, by learning all of this information I hope that you have gained knowledge to something you did not know before.

I. Main Point Summary: First, you learned about the benefits of medical marijuana and its impact, then you learned about the negative effects from pharmaceutical drugs, and finally you learned that medical marijuana is not addictive as you think.

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References

Leo, Tara. “20 Health Benefits of Cannabis That Everyone Should Know.â€Â Health Europa, 9 Apr. 2020, www.healtheuropa.eu/health-benefits-of-cannabis/92499/.Â

Turner, Terry. “Side Effects of Drugs, Medical Devices & High-Risk Medical Conditions.â€Â Drugwatch.com, 2017, www.drugwatch.com/side-effects/.Â

Wellness, Pensacola. “Medical Marijuana vs. Prescription Drugs.â€Â Pensacola Wellness Solutions, 10 Aug. 2018, pensacolawellness.com/medical-marijuana-vs-prescription- drugs/.Â