The Slippery Slope of Marijuana Use

Marijuana is a gateway drug. In other words, marijuana use will lead you down a slippery slope, (hence the slippery slope fallacy) a chain reaction of sorts that will end in dire consequences. The proponents of this fallacy would have you believe that if you use marijuana you will end up addicted to other harder more deadly drugs; there is simply no room for marijuana use! Unless you are willing to use harder drugs down the road and possibly end up in rehab or perhaps dead, stay away from marijuana!

According to author Patricia Cartwright, it has been proven that, in areas that have legalized marijuana, the use of harder drugs has decreased rather than increased as a result. (Cartwright)

From NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws): correlation does not prove causation; similarly, lack of correlation does prove lack of causation. (Macmurdo)

This fallacy, besides the slippery slope fallacy, also falls under the categories of appeal to fear and appeal to ignorance fallacies.

= Works Cited = Cartwright, Patricia. ''Marijuana Facts and Fallacies''. n.d. Electronic. 26 02 2016. .

Macmurdo, Mike. ''EDU: THE FACTS AND LOGICAL FALLACIES ABOUT MARIJUANA USE''. 20 04 2009. Electronic. 26 02 2016. .