Hundreds of eyes were on two men Monday as they debated the legalization of marijuana.
The University Auditorium was filled with attendees for Accent Speakers’ Bureau “The Great Weed Debate: Heads vs. Feds” event. The debate featured veteran Drug Enforcement Administration agent Bob Stutman and High Times editor Steve Hager.
Hager opened the floor and listed five reasons why he believed marijuana should be legalized, and stated that funding to arrest marijuana growers and users should be stopped.
“Stop funding corruption, and don’t blame law enforcement,” he told the crowd. “They don’t make the laws.”
Stutman said marijuana should stay illegal and called out Hager for not mentioning facts — only what he considered to be opinions — and statements starting with “I believe.”
“The day we legalize marijuana, we will have more users,” Stutman said.
Gainesville resident and UF alumnus, McArthur Shelton, 30, said Stutman did a good job articulating his argument.
Shelton leaned toward the “feds” opinion on marijuana but suggested there should be a rehabilitation system for people who go to jail for marijuana.
At one point, Stutman said that if Hager told the truth, both would agree 100 percent on everything.
However, both speakers shared the view that marijuana consumers should not be sent to jail.
“I don’t believe people should be thrown into jail for any drug,” Stutman said. “It’s a stupid idea.”
The two previously debated similar topics at UF in 2002, said Accent chairman Josh Holtzman. Although Stutman confessed the two are good friends, they each had opposing views and evidence to substantiate their arguments.
The debate lasted more than an hour and ended with an audience question-and-answer session.
“People clearly favored Hager, judging by applause,” said Paul Cirino, a 19-year-old telecommunication junior.
