Sarah Morris

This is how Bob Stutman, a 25-year U.S. Drug Enforcement Administrator,
started off a debate with Steve Hager, the former editor-in-chief of High
Times Magazine at the Nebraska Union Tuesday night. ¨Heads versus
Feds,¨ sponsored by the University Program Council, drew a full house.

Stutman held his position against the legalization of marijuana while Hager made his point to legalize cannabis. 

Hager started off by pointing out his five main reasons for legalization. He stated marijuana is a good medicine. 

“I know more people who are alive because they use marijuana,” Hager said.

Some studies indicate marijuana can help people with glaucoma as well as other diseases, he said.

His second point was that hemp is good for the environment.  He
explained using hemp as paper is much more efficient and
environmentally friendly than cutting down trees not easily replaced.

Stutman refuted that marijuana is the greatest product in the world along with the statement that it is a great medicine. 

“Any doctor who tells you to smoke for your health is a bad doctor,” he stated.

Another of Hager’s points was that people need to stop funding corruption by giving money to criminals for drugs.

After the speech, a student in the crowd asked if legalization would
stop the drug cartels tearing up the border. Stutman said cartels would
simply sell other things.

Hager also said marijuana is part of his culture, a religious right. 

“I would like you to understand one thing, the reality is we are good
people and we have done good things for America,¨ he said of the
subculture he founded in the 1960s. ¨We are as American as apple pie
and baseball, so please can I get a little freedom of religion in
America?”

Stutman argued the matter of religion and culture by pointing out that
more than a century ago polygamy was illegal but still part of the
Church of Latter Day Saints.

“Just because you have it as a religion does not make it right,” he said.

Hager argued the U.S. has created the largest prison system in the world because cannabis is illegal.

“Locking people up is not a solution to drug abuse,” Hagar said. “They don’t come out rehabilitated; they come out destroyed.”

As each party clearly made their argument with a few spurts of clapping
or random bursts of wry comments from the crowd, some of which was
sitting on the floor and lining the Centennial Room walls, they did
agree on this: The punishment for marijuana use or possession should
not be a jail sentence or loss of federal student loans.

“I do not believe that a person should be thrown in prison for the use
of a drug,” said Stutman, who believes it should be a ticketable
offense like speeding.

Students lined up after the debate to ask questions in front of the audience, some of which turned into arguments.

When a student’s words became explicit in one exchange, Hager came to his opponent and friend’s defense.

Although Hager and Stutman disagreed on the topic, they agreed that
taking highly emotional arguments and extreme views away from the
discussion would get everyone closer to a solution.

http://www.dailynebraskan.com/news/pothead-dea-agent-don-t-allow-ideologies-to-dismantle-friendship-1.1648196

saramorris@dailynebraskan.com