On October 9, 2008, MAPS President Rick Doblin was in Ireland to debate drug policy reform at the worlds oldest debating society, in the 324th Session of the University Philosophical Society, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland.
We have archived transcripts of Rick Doblin’s, Tony Allwirght’s, and Jonathan Wyse’s speeches.
The University Philosophical Society, which was founded in 1684, funded Ricks trip to Ireland. Supporting the legalization of drugs was Rick, German publisher and drug legalization advocate Werner Pieper, and Trinity Colleges Paul O’Mahony. Supporting continued criminalization was former Fine Gael (centre-right Irish political party) spokesperson on drug policy Damien English, head of the Health Service Executive’s drugs and alcohol program Chris Murphy, columnist and blogger Tony Allwright, and Jonathan Wyse.
Traditionally, the Phil has been a paper-reading Society, which means that our debates generally open with an essay on the subject under discussion, prepared by one of our members. Ricks invitation stated. Our invited speakers and members of the Society are then given the opportunity to speak in response and bring their expertise and experience to bear on the essayist’s ideas.
