Heads vs. Feds Debate at Idaho State University

From the ISU Bengal online newspaper.

Heads v. Feds debate

By Aaron Dean

Staff Writer

Published: Friday, February 4, 2011

The marijuana legalization debate hit Idaho State University on Jan. 31 as Steven Hager, Editor-in-Chief of High Times magazine debated retired Drug Enforcement Administration agent Bob Stutman at the Stevens Performing Arts Center.

Hager opened the debate with several reasons marijuana should legalized including, medicinal use, hemp for industrial products, it's non-habit forming, spiritual enlightenment and the culture.

Stutman countered those points by saying medicinal use was unregulated, nobody uses hemp based products, that people do get addicted to marijuana and spiritual enlightenment and culture were ridiculous because of the public health hazard.

Stutman also said we shouldn't legalize marijuana because it's a public health issue that would only get worse if legalized. "We have already made two major public health mistakes in the US, alcohol and tobacco, we don't need to make another one," Stutman stated.

Hager said marijuana doesn't have any withdrawal effects like other drugs such as alcohol and heroine.

Stutman stated even though there are no withdrawal effects that about 13 percent of people who smoke marijuana become addicted to it.

Stutman also said marijuana is a poor choice for medicine because it's a schedule 1 drug with no recognized medical purposes. "Plus, I wouldn't trust a doctor who told me to smoke my medicine," Stutman said

Hager said, "In the 10 years we've been on this tour there have been hundreds of studies to come out showing that marijuana has medicinal purposes. "Also I would never tell anyone to smoke their medicine. You can consume cannabis in tea, brownies or you can vaporize it."

Hager also said we spend millions of dollars a year incarcerating people even for simple possession. "If we legalized and taxed cannabis, we would reduce the cost on taxpayers by reducing the strain on the criminal justice system.

Stutman did say that he doesn't think anyone should be arrested for possession of any drug. "We shouldn't be treating drug use as a crime, but as a health issue that requires treatment. I don't think anyone should be arrested for simple possession," Stutman said.

In his closing remarks Hager said, "We need responsible people to make policy change. You need to stop with the bong hits with breakfast." Hager also said that students shouldn't allow marijuana to get in the way of education.

After the program Hager met with students to generate interest in setting up a chapter Students for Sensible Drug Policy at ISU.

He said one of their primary goals at the moment is to change the law making students ineligible for financial aid if they have been convicted of a drug crime.

"Convicted rapists, murders and thieves can qualify for financial aid, but if you've ever been caught with drugs you can't," Hager said.