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Bryan Taylor
October 19, 2015
Professor Landrus
English 101
Rhetorical Analysis Essay
When you think of marijuana, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Some
people say, the future. Others might say, the present. Then, there are others that might
say, evil and unnecessary. The subject of marijuana is one of the hottest topics in
modern American politics. Legalizing the use of cannabis could be a big boost for the
United States economy, and it could also offer new ways to save lives. This is Jeffrey
Mirons general attitude in his article on CNN. In his article, Why Congress Should
Legalize Pot, Miron heavily uses logos, a large amount of ethos and an adequate amount
of pathos in order to convince the reader that marijuana should be legalized.
When trying to understand how Miron gets his point and opinion across to the
reader, it is important to look at the exigence of the issue at hand. Marijuana has been a
force in American society dating back to the 1960s. Ever since then, people have been
taught that weed is a, Gateway Drug, a substance that does no good and will only open
the user up to newer, more powerful drugs. However, that vision is starting to change.
People look upon cannabis today as a potential savior. Scientists have found that, in some
cases, the use of marijuana could greatly impact the intensity of some illnesses and
diseases. This has prompted every single state in America to ask themselves the question
of whether or not the benefits of marijuana outweigh the risks. Some states such as
Colorado, California and Washington have already enacted laws allowing the use of

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marijuana, while others like the Maryland, Delaware and Arizona will be putting it to a
vote in the near future. The scientific world as we know it could dramatically alter if
marijuana is legalized in the United States, and it is only a matter of time until that drastic
change is uncovered.
Throughout his entire article on CNN.com, Miron heavily uses logos, logic and
statistics to enforce his reasoning about the possible change in marijuana laws. After
talking about the states that have either passed legislation in the past or are due up for
voting on marijuana legalization bills, Miron explains that the citizens of the USA are for
its regulation. Opinion polls all across America have gone out, and they have yielded
positive results for cannabis possible legalization. Miron justifies this presentation by
saying, any society that professes to value liberty should leave adults free to consume
marijuana.
Afterwards, he goes on to compare marijuana and its potentially harmful
possibilities to tobacco, a legal product that produces a large quantity of money for
industries, yet also puts smokers at a huge risk. Miron starts out by identifying marijuana
as a Schedule I drug under the CSA, also known as Controlled Substances Act. According
the CSA and its standards, a Schedule I drug a substance that has, "a high potential for
abuse ... no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States ... [and] a
lack of accepted safety for use (Miron, CNN.com). The author says that this is
outrageous and completely inaccurate in describing marijuana, and that nearly no one
believes this to be true about cannabis. Miron argues that since tobacco is a legal item and
is well known to cause severe illness with no health benefits whatsoever, marijuana has
no business being in Schedule I.

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Jeffrey Miron uses the qualities of ethos to establish credibility with his audience
as well. Firstly, the article starts out by telling the reader a little about Mirons
background in this field. As it turns out, Miron is a senior lecturer and Director of
Undergraduate Studies at Harvard Universitys economics department. In addition to this,
he used to hold the position of Chairman of the Department of Economic at Boston
University, and also currently holds the position of Director of Economic Policy Study at
the Cato Institute. With all of this background at three top-tier universities in the United
States, it is apparent that Mr. Miron is well versed in his knowledge of economics.
After all of this information, Miron also does a fantastic job of connecting with
the audience by considering doubts and concerns that go against his argument. He
recognizes that ultimately, the decision of marijuana goes beyond the states and lays in
the hands of the federal government. However, he retorts by saying that the federal
government would be hesitant to interfere in these pieces of legislation due to the publics
opinion and open acceptance of marijuana. With a new president coming into power in
the beginning of 2017, whoever it shall be could shake up the scenery in the states, but it
would be wise to think of every possible outcome or consequence.
While the use of pathos is incredibly minimal throughout this article, Miron is
able to slightly utilize the ability to connect with the audience through emotions.
Although it is not directly mentioned in the piece, the use of marijuana as a medicine has
become apparent throughout the United States. People have heard that numerous illnesses
have been alleviated, mainly due to the use of medical cannabis. Miron acknowledges the
healing capabilities of marijuana by listing off numerous illnesses where scientists have
tested the positive influence of marijuana. Illnesses, diseases and other ailments such as

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multiple sclerosis, cancer chemotherapy, HIV, chronic illness and pain, seizure disorders
and even Crohns disease. The list goes on in Mirons article, and it all appeals to
everyday families that have had to go through some kind of medical emergency. Later in
the article, he also talks about how with the legalization, or at least the medical
regulation, of marijuana, scientists would have to jump fewer hurdles in order to advance
the sciences of modern medicine. As of now, doctors and researchers have many
obstacles in the way of their work, but with the legalization/regulation of cannabis, they
could work a lot more freely.
In conclusion, Jeffrey Miron put forward his reasoning to legalize and regulate
marijuana in his article on CNN.com by providing hard-hitting stats and analysis as well
as using logos, ethos and pathos to support his claim. Times are changing in the United
States, and one of the biggest aspects of that is the debate on medical and recreational
marijuana. Cannabis and all of its products have always been looked down upon, but
now, marijuana may be the answer to many of societys problems. Doctors, scientists and
researchers alike are all finding benefits to the use of marijuana. Families too are finding
out that marijuana could in fact be a huge player in helping to alleviate the diseases that
plague their loved ones. With all of this new information coming up and being
discovered, and with God-knows-what yet to be discovered, many people believe that
marijuana could be a huge player in the medical world in the near future. The only road
block in the way is the state and federal government, but with public opinion leaning
towards the side of science, it is only a matter of time until the people get what they want.

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Works Cited
Miron, J. (2014, November 19). Why Congress Should Legalize Pot. CNN.com.
Retrieved October 19, 2015.
Ferner, M. (2015, February 20). Two House Bills Would End Federal Prohibition Of
Marijuana. Huffington Post. Retrieved October 21, 2015, from
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/20/marijuana-legalizationcongress_n_6722686.html
Congress Should Allow D.C.'s Marijuana Legalization to Stand. Washinton Post. (2014,
November 6). Retrieved October 21, 2015, from
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/congress-should-allow-dcs-marijuanalegalization-to-stand/2014/11/06/e4f20ece-6532-11e4-836c83bc4f26eb67_story.html