EXPERTS DEBATE THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA.

Smoking marijuana is quite possibly unhealthy.

That's why in a debate Wednesday night between Steve Hager, editor and chief
of High Times magazine, and Robert Stutman, a former Drug Enforcement
Administration agent, Hager told audience members they shouldn't smoke it.

"If you don't smoke it, every health risk he mentioned is gone," he said,
responding to statistics from Stutman about increased cancer risks from
inhalation of marijuana. "So I'm going to tell you, don't smoke it. Make tea
or make brownies."

The debate about legalizing marijuana, held at the Montana State University,
drew a crowd of more than 700 people. The speakers discussed medical uses of
marijuana, health and side effects, spiritual ceremonies and jail time.

"I understand that most of you are on Steve's side," Stutman said to the
mostly 18- to 25-year-old crowd. "I wouldn't know what to do with an
audience that agreed with me."

The debate, sponsored by ASMSU Lively Arts and Lectures, was definitely the
most "lively" of the events this year, said organizer Elizabeth Schwartz.
The club paid $7,000 to bring the duo here and the event started a half-hour
late as organizers scrambled to make room for hundreds more people than they
expected.

The rambunctious crowd cheered often and was scolded by the moderator more
than once for being disrespectful.

Each speaker had 15 minutes to present his side of the argument. Then
audience members, many clad in clothing decorated with marijuana leaves,
posed questions to either side.

Hager began with five reasons marijuana should be legal. It's good medicine,
hemp is good for the environment, the United States has the biggest prison
system in the world, illegal drug use funds corruption and marijuana is part
of his culture, he said.

"I discovered the counter-culture. I went to Woodstock and the Rainbow
gatherings," he said. "It is a good culture. But we are tremendously
persecuted because of our belief in the spiritual aspects of this plant."

Stutman said that 20 guys passing a joint around, getting stoned on a
Saturday night does not constitute a religious ceremony.

As for medical uses of marijuana, Stutman said he agrees with the use of
cannabis for medical reasons if the Food and Drug Administration finds it
scientifically worthwhile.

"Cannabis in marijuana may be good medicine, but smoking marijuana will
never be good medicine," he said. "I do not believe marijuana should be made
legal because first and foremost we will have more users."

More users means more accidents on highways, Stutman said. But Hager
disagreed, saying alcohol causes many more car accidents than marijuana use.
He also said anyone who gets high and drives is abusing the drug.

"If you don't know the difference between use and abuse, better step aside
until you can figure out where those lines are," he said. "The people who
have a really stupid attitude about marijuana, doing breakfast bong hits
before going off to a chemistry exam, you're not doing anything for the
environment, you're not doing anything for legalization -- you're the reason
it's illegal."