Rhetorical Situation Report

Exigence

Only in recent years has legalizing marijuana become an issue that has actually been put into effect by a few states in the USA. Many states have actually legalized medicinal marijuana, but lately, states are beginning to legalize recreational marijuana. As of now, only four states have legalized marijuana recreationally (Colorado, Washington, Alaska, and Washington D.C.) and are soon to become five (Oregon). Throughout my research on this topic, I have realized that the legalization of marijuana is mostly separated between two issues: medicinally and recreationally. In order to condense my research, I decided to mostly look at the recreational benefits of marijuana yet still spend a portion of my research on the medicinal effects because that is still a factor in the legalizing recreationally. In broad terms, the main supporting factors of this issue seem to be its tax benefits and health benefits (for medicinal use), while the main counterargument is simply the negative effects of consuming marijuana. Since this seems to be the main counterargument, it gave me even more incentive to research on the recreational benefits for if I only researched medicinally, this argument would not make much sense. When looking at a common website that explores the use of marijuana, the Cannabist, I took notice of a fact that supporters of legalizing recreational marijuana would be very pleased to see: "Based on the Colorado Department of Revenue data, around $36.4 million of recreational marijuana was sold this January, compared with about $14.69 million sold the same month last year. 'This is really what we expected and hope to see: a shift in the underground market to a regulated market,' said legalization advocate Mason Tvert. 'It’s clearly generating significant revenue for the state'" (Cannabist). This information is a large reason why the notion to legalize marijuana recreationally even exists—to bring in tax revenue and slowly diminish the black market. When Colorado, the first state to legalize marijuana, reports back a heightened amount of tax collected, it brings forth incentives for more states to legalize recreationally. Still, even with a positive outlook on the tax benefits, recreational marijuana still does not "Keep in mind [...] that there are negative effects of smoking too much pot or using it for non-medicinal purposes. When overused or abused, pot can lead to dependency and mess with your memory and emotions" (Businessinsider). This article actually looks at all the medical benefits of marijuana, showing that its legalization will benefit millions of people medically, but consumers must still remember that it can have negative outcomes. 

Audience

As a healthy highschool student in the state of Texas, I likely fall into the group in which this topic will least involve. Nonetheless, since this topic involves such a vast majority of people and will likely grow in the future, it will very likely affect me later in my life. Bitzer even says that "a rhetorical audience consists only of those persons who are capable of being influenced by discourse and of being mediators of change" (Situation). By these words, the legalization of marijuana holds an audience that consists of each citizen of the United States. Let me explain. Since more and more states are pushing forward in legalizing marijuana while no state is pushing backwards, this issue will more than likely come to affect each state. Now, even if a state has legalized marijuana, it does not mean a citizen will have to take part in its consumption, especially if that citizen is younger than 21 and legally cannot consume marijuana. Because of this, people would argue that not everyone is an audience of this issue. This does not hold true because each time marijuana is bought legally, a certain percentage of tax will go to the government. The government can then choose to use that money in a way that can effect any citizen in that state, similar to how Colorado will choose to spend 2.3 million dollars made from marijuana in the last year to fund schools. In more specific terms of audience, the people that are most effected by this issue (in recreational terms) seem to be citizens above the age of 21 who are interested in consuming marijuana as well as government officials who choose what to spend the money made off its taxes.

http://www.thecannabist.co/2015/03/11/colorado-pot-tax-results-january-2015/31462/

 - this website may look suspicious for its odd name, but it specializes in the information regarding marijuana (both recreational and medicinally) and therefore has a lot a of expert testimony.

http://www.businessinsider.com/health-benefits-of-medical-marijuana-2014-4