Cannabis Attorney Rob Corry and Anti-Pot Activist Jeff Hunt Debate Today

Nearly four years after Coloradans voted to legalize recreational marijuana, cannabis continues to be a divisive topic throughout the state, with pro- and anti-pot supporters arguing about its effects on public health, youth, social infrastructure and more. Today, October 6, two public figures on opposite ends of the spectrum will give us their hot takes on the subject in an organized public debate.

Jeff Hunt, director of the Centennial Institute, vice president of public policy for Colorado Christian University, and noted reefer hater who went national with an op-ed in USA Today in August, will debate cannabis attorney and activist Robert Corry at the conclusion of the daylong Colorado Christian University symposium on marijuana's impact on Colorado. Hunt will have home-court advantage at the symposium, where speakers will include Smarter Approaches to Marijuana president Kevin Sabet, Smart Colorado co-founder Diane Carlson, Pueblo County Sheriff Kirk Taylor and Greenwood Village Police Chief John Jackson — all of whom have been public in their opposition to legal cannabis.

Corry, the attorney for the Denver 420 Rally, has had his fair share of publicity, too. The 420 Rally organizers lost their City of Denver permit status after pictures of trash and reports of poor security surfaced shortly after the 2017 event; Corry appealed the city's decision in September. In the meantime, Hunt has been campaigning for an end to the rally, even starting a petition to ban it altogether.

In response, Corry challenged Hunt to a debate about whether cannabis should be used in Colorado and the rest of country. Hunt accepted the challenge in May, and official plans were announced in September.

The symposium runs from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Colorado Christian University Event Center in Lakewood, with the debate at 3 p.m. The verbal sparring will be moderated by CBS4 political reporter Shaun Boyd. Tickets to the symposium, which includes the debate, are $15; learn more about the agenda and speakers at the event on its website.

Westword will be at the symposium throughout the day, with round-by-round updates. Monitor the Westword Twitter and Facebook pages for more information as the debate gets closer.

In the meantime, you can watch a live stream of the symposium here.