2012 Cabin Fever Debates
by Kathleen McCoy |
Each year the Seawolf Debate team is proud to sponsor the Cabin Fever Debates Intramural
Debating Tournament. Held each spring semester, the Cabin Fever Debates provide UAA
students not active on the competitive Seawolf team the opportunity to give academic
debating a try. Designed for students with little or no competitive experience, the
tournament exposes students to the fundamentals of debating and the chance to compete
for a great prize package, including $1,000 to the championship team.
Cabin Fever Debates: Championship Round
Date: Thursday, March 8
Time: 7 p.m.; reception and awards to follow at 8 p.m.
Location: Arts 150
The final round motion: Following the model of Portugal, the U.S. should decriminalize the use of recreational drugs.
About the motion: This year marks the 10th anniversary of Portugal's experiment with decriminalization
of all drugs. Decriminalization is not legalization, but a change in the status of
offense represented by drug use and possession. Rather than treating casual users
of recreational drugs as criminals, a regime of decriminalization treats possession
and use as civil offenses, similar to a parking ticket. The approach to treating the
problems associated with drug use changes from the pursuit of crime to the medical
treatment of addicts. Given the significant economic problems facing our nation and
the high cost of the "War on Drugs," the time has come to discuss whether alternate
approaches would better meet the needs of the United States.
Join Seawolf Debate next week as they judge this final round and, in the meantime,
.