Nope, it showed a statistical correlation. The quotes were from a doctor that co-authored the thing. He said himself there is no clear causal connection. You are operating on wishful thinking.[/wide]
Hah, that isn't what it said at all! His whole point is that Marijuana has an adverse affect on developing brains! How on earth did you glean that falsehood from such clarity?
Maybe if you want to convince a child. I won't pretend to understand the mechanism either. That's doesn't mean I'll take your word for it. If it's so clear, find a doctor saying there is a direct causal connection between psychosis and marijuana use. A statistical correlation isn't going to get it done.
I already did, but you have misread his warnings
Why should you bother pretending you can control people's behaviors?
Yeah, there isn't centuries of study on behavioral modification. In fact, the pothead lobby argues that legalization will reduce pot consumption, so your side seems to believe in behavior modification as well. It's just that the pothead argument is stupid, nonsensical and wrong.
We blow far to many resources on this moral crusade. It's never been winnable or even worth fighting.
Given the increase in teen marijuana use after legalization I would say your argument is false even at the most basic level. If legalization increases drug use (which it is in Colorado) then the efforts to reduce drug use were working. Your problem is that you like to argue black and white straw men where you assume that the anti-marijuana side assumes there will be some point where nobody uses marijuana. Nobody actually argues this. But I would bet there are lots of things in your life you still do even knowing that you won't be 100% successful, and you do them because you feel they need doing.
How many billions should we sink in this hole, and how many people do we have put in prison so that Drug Warriors can declare victory?
Again, there is no black and white in drug abuse prevention. Is it your assumption that if drugs were legalized that all the people selling illegal drugs will find gainful employment and turn to a virtuous life? Or do you suppose the kind of people that break the law to make money would find some other illegal way to make money and get arrested for doing it?
How much money should we fork over to drug cartels, rather than pumping through our own economy?
Again, do you think the cartels will just go away? Is it your assumption that we would be legalizing all drugs with no controls? It's already illegal for kids to have drugs, and yet they still have them. You don't think the cartels would still target that market?
In general I don't find your set of assumptions of the outcome of any legalization effort to be particularly well thought out.