As I sat down to write this article with my vaporizer and special brownies, it was coincidently 4:20 pm, and I could not have been more amused. Okay, so that might be only partially true, but regardless, it got me in the mood to write about our recent “Heads vs. Feds” marijuana legalization debate. The guest speakers were Robert Stutman and Steven Hager, both of whom presented very compelling arguments for their side. Stutman, a former DEA agent for 25 years, naturally spoke out against making it legal, while Hager, the former editor-in-chief for High Times magazine, asked the audience to help make it legal.
The presentation began with a DVD on each debater’s background and how they came to be in their current position. Stutman, once named “the most famous narc,” came from the typical small town. When in college, he interviewed with the CIA, an opportunity he had never expected to have. It was determined he was a perfect fit for the DEA, thus starting his career as a street agent. He eventually became the agent in charge in New York City, “the most exciting city in the world,” when it comes to drugs and crime, that is.
Hager had quite a different background, growing up as part of the free-spirited hippie generation when all people did was strive for peace and smoke pot. Well, they might have done a few more things, but most notable and pertinent to this debate is how he became involved with marijuana movements. After losing some faith in Christianity, Hager turned to the Kerouac genre, finding Tom Wolfe to be his greatest influence. He eventually started writing for the High Times magazine and discovered more benefits of hemp, driving him to festivals and peace gatherings.
After the video, they were both given 15 minutes to explain their side of the debate. Hager began with a very brief introduction and clearly laid out his five reasons why marijuana should be legal. Naturally, he addressed the medicinal issue and the benefits of hemp, giving examples dating back to the Gutenberg bibles being made on hemp paper. His last three reasons were explained very well in depth, and he hit a lot of key points that I had not considered concerning jailing and corruption. He explained that there are mandatory minimum sentences for cultivation of pot plants, but not for rapists and armed robbers. Also, as far as corruption, people buying illegal marijuana now are overpaying and funding criminal activities. His most important reason, though, was his personal experience as it is part of his culture.
The opposing side was presented by Stutman, who pointed out that he would not personally attack Hager, but rather point out his half truths. Stutman claimed that marijuana is “a recreational drug of choice issue” and adding the medicinal tag only helps to get people involved. He initially spoke a lot about the medical side and ideas that pharmacies cannot control it, thus it is not legal yet. He pointed out that there are 435 chemicals in cannabis, and only two of them may be good medicine. He did agree that people should not be put in prison because of drugs, though, but then gave his own four reasons why he believes it should not be legal.
His four reasons dealt a lot with negative affects of smoking pot and included medical journals that were credible sources. First of all, THC—the active chemical in marijuana—lessens pressure on the optic nerve and alters depth perception. While this is good for glaucoma patients, it leads to accidents with the average user. Marijuana also interferes with the ability to learn and reason. He mentioned, as well, the issue of dependence and his personal encounters with adolescents admitting to being addicted to marijuana. The fourth reason was truest to his heart, though, dealing with the death of his sister caused by cancer.
The floor was then opened up for questions, with each side given three minutes to respond. The majority of the questions were very well thought out, minus one audience member who ranted for a few minutes before leaving in a fury to go smoke up. One of the expected questions, why can’t adults smoke pot if they can drive and vote, brought out very good responses from both sides. Stutman talked about how drug abuse affects everyone, not just the user, and pointed out how almost every family has an alcoholic to be wary of. Hager examined the use versus abuse aspect, claiming that people should have freedom to make bad choices and learn, as a “free society should mean freedom.”
Although the discussion got pretty heated at times, both presenters asked the audience to come away with some lessons for life. Stutman pushed the concept that “natural doesn’t necessarily mean good” and urged Hager to get the support through courts and doctors to make marijuana legal. Hager made sure everyone knew that he was not telling them to smoke, but rather find alternative, healthier methods to isolate the THC without the harmful chemicals and tar. His closing statements, though, hit home with everyone there, as he urged students to devote time to their education and not be part of the problem. If all else fails, “jump out of the box and start creating your own culture.”
