Marijuana legalization debate in Indiana

[llamabox]

I went to a great debate yesterday at the local college. It involved Steve Hager former editor of "High Times" magazine, and Bob Stutman is a 25 year DEA vet, and former head of NY cities DEA office.
And it was kinda fucked up the way they were friendly to each other, and the fed even said he didn't think drug users should go to prison!!!

But here is the write up in the local paper from today....

Article published Apr 20, 2006

A stimulating debate
Issue leaders meet at Earlham College

By Harmony Marsh
For the Palladium-Item




It was "the Heads versus the Feds," on the issue of legalizing marijuana.
Wednesday afternoon in Goddard Auditorium at Earlham College, Steve Hager and Bob Stutman rounded out Earlham's convocation lecture series with a good old-fashioned debate. All questions during the debate were taken from the audience.
"The issues were interesting, and they presented both sides well," Sam Robinson, an Earlham student, said afterwards. "But it was clear they were going through the motions, like, this is the same debate they've had many times before."
Hager is the former editor of "High Times" magazine, a publication for advocates of marijuana and other cannabis-related products. An introductory video at the beginning of the debate called Hager "the most famous pot-head in America." He has fought for changes in America's cannabis-related laws for the last 20 years.
Stutman had a 25-year career with the Drug Enforcement Administration, which led him to becoming head of the DEA's largest field office, in New York City. He is often credited as being the person to bring crack/cocaine to the attention of the country as a problem. The introductory video called him "the most famous narc in America."
In their opening remarks, both Stutman and Hager listed some of their reasons for their individual stances, and made it clear that their debate would center on the issue, and not dissolve into personal attacks.
"We're actually close personal friends," Stutman remarked.
Earlham student Caitlin Kannapelo said that the discussion was made better by the pair's mutual admiration.
"It was nice," Kannapelo said. "This was the first debate where the speakers obviously had respect for each other."
Hager's main point throughout the debate was that marijuana "is just good medicine." He listed many ailments, including, asthma, glaucoma, cancer and multiple sclerosis, which he claimed could be helped with marijuana.
Stutman believes otherwise.
"Any doctor who tells you to smoke something because it's good for you is a fool," he said. He then went on to list some of the problems that smoking marijuana could cause, including, according to some scientists, and increased chance for mouth, throat and lung cancers.
Hager's reply to that last comment?
"If you want to use marijuana, drink it in tea, eat it in brownies or vaporize it!" he exclaimed. That, he said, would eliminate any problems caused by smoking the drug.
Stutman later called the idea of medicinal marijuana "a façade," saying it is a ploy by politicians to make America more open to the concept of legalized marijuana.
One point Hager and Stutman agreed upon, however, is the decriminalization of marijuana.
"We've built the biggest prison system in the world in my lifetime," Hager said. "Having the biggest percentage of your population in jail is not the hallmark of a free society."
Stutman believes that growing, possessing or smoking marijuana should become a no-jail offense, like speeding.
"I don't think anyone should go to prison for the use of any drug," Stutman said.
Hager, however, believes that marijuana should be completely legal.
"I just think that destroying people's lives over something they're using medicinally or even recreationally is obscene," he said. During the debate he also offered Stutman an all-expenses-paid trip to the cannabis festival in Amsterdam, Netherlands that happens around Thanksgiving every year. Stutman declined, citing the cold and wet weather in the Netherlands as one of his reasons for not going.
Stutman again listed some of the dangers of smoking marijuana in his closing remarks, while Hager again listed some of the benefits. Hager, however, had one last thought for the college students in the audience.
"It's not appropriate to be intoxicated all the time," he said. "If you think doing a breakfast bong and then going off to take your Calculus exam is doing something good for the environment, or helping the cause, you're not part of the solution. You're the biggest part of the problem."

[Hippie3]

not a huge surprise to see the editor of high times claiming he and the dea
are "actually close personal friends"

[llamabox]

Yea, they were up there laughing and making jokes and stuff. It was really kinda weird.

[Jony 8)]

Cool is time to decriminalize MJ!