CAMPUS GROUP SPARKS DEBATE

Stoners and squares alike packed the Alltel Ballroom Thursday night
as the heads battled the feds in a debate over the decriminalization
and legalization of marijuana, with as many as 600 people in
attendance, according to Matt Heath, the University Programs Cultures
and Concepts Committee chairman.

Bob Stutman, who had been one of America's top drug busters,
represented the side of the Feds, arguing against the
decriminalization and legalization of marijuana. Steve Hager, former
Editor of High Times magazine, represented the heads and called for
an immediate end to the United States' war on pot.

Video introductions for both speakers played at the beginning of the
debate and detailed their respective lives and achievements.

Stutman was almost recruited by the CIA, and decided to work with the
DEA and was one of the top police officers in the nation, making some
15,000 arrests during his career. He was a key figure in the media
when crack first became popular, and has received several awards from
law enforcement agencies throughout the country, according to the video.

Hager came from an entirely different background, first discovering
acid when he went to San Francisco and participated in the glamorized
counter-culture of the sixties, according to the video. He joined
High Times magazine in 1988 and one of his most oft-mentioned
achievements is creating the Cannabis Cup, the "Academy Awards of
marijuana," held every year in Amsterdam.

After the video introductions the two speakers appeared on stage -
Hager in jeans and a denim jacket with long, salt-and-pepper hair
waving freely, and Stutman, conservatively dressed in a blue-collar
button up suit and loafers. Each man spent 15 minutes making his case
to the audience.

Hager spoke first, going hard and fast, hands pointing hard to one
argument and then the next and pushing on forcefully and passionately
about the health benefits of marijuana, the negative results of
criminalizing the drug, and his generation's ties to the drug.

"It's part of my culture," Hager said, continuing past constant
cheers and remarks from the audience. "We think [of it] as our
sacrament. Please give us freedom of religion in America."

Stutman followed no easy act, and the audience constantly threw jeers
while he presented his point. He spoke in a soft but sturdy New York
accent and responded several times to the remarks made by audience members.

Senior Bo Counts, said, "I don't take well to ranting and conspiracy
theories," referring to several outbursts from some of the audience
members. Counts said that he enjoyed the debate, but that Hager
"totally discredited himself when he talk[ed] about getting high and
then talk[ed] about what good uses marijuana had."

Stutman said the single largest reason for those who want to legalize
marijuana, is because it's their drug of choice and they don't want
to get locked up for it. Stutman said "people shouldn't be thrown in
jail for drug use," but also reminded the audience that there are
"stupid policies," on both sides of the argument.

"I don't think it's a demon, evil weed," said Stutman. "I think if
marijuana is made legal we will have far more users."

After the debate, there was a 15 minute question and answer period.
Despite warnings and pleas from the speakers and moderator to keep to
questions and not soap box rants, many of those who approached the
audience microphone never asked real questions, spending their time
instead attempting to lecture Stutman on the wonders of pot.

Following the event, Stutman and Hager stayed at the front of the
stage to take questions and continue discussions about marijuana.
Both had a huge crowd of people, with Hager frantically selling
copies of his book and issues of High Times, and Stutman in verbal
gymnastics with several of the audience members.

"I thought it was a good debate," said Phil Brick. Brick said Stutman
did a good job defending his argument.

"As many questions that were thrown at him...he kept referring to
what he had already said, which showed that he had his facts straight
and was well prepared."

Many saw the debate as a victory for the Heads. Random bursts of
applause and cheers came after several of Hager's remarks, most
notably the comments on simply getting high.

"It was a good debate," said Brooke Sutton, junior. "But I thought he
[Stutman] never addressed why it was wrong...I was disappointed with
the argument. I thought in contrast to the absurdity of other
religions and their practices his [Hager's] argument about freedom of
using pot in whatever religious ceremonies he wanted to, was a fine argument."

The Heads v. Feds debate starring Stutman and Hager has appeared at
more than 100 colleges since 2000 and consistently reaches maximum
capacity numbers nationwide, according to a UP press release.

The debate was co-sponsored by the Young Democrats, the College
Republicans, and NORML, with University Programs leading the show.