cannabisnews.com: Drug Policy Missteps





Drug Policy Missteps
Posted by FoM on April 11, 2002 at 08:31:13 PT
By The Crimson Staff
Source: Harvard Crimson 
This past week, Yale University announced that it would reimburse any student stripped of federal financial aid following conviction for drug possession. The “Drug Free Student Aid” provision of the Higher Education Act, passed in 1998, prohibits federal assistance to students convicted of any drug-related offense in an effort to deter drug use among teenagers and young adults. Yale’s decision will effectively nullify the law for Elis by replacing lost federal aid with an equivalent amount of university money. 
Yale’s new policy rejects the federal government’s contention that inhibiting individuals’ access to education somehow constitutes just punishment for drug-related offenses. Rapists, murderers and other violent criminals, upon their acceptance to any university, still receive full consideration for federal financial aid, yet teenagers guilty of possessing a dime bag of marijuana are not. In its effort to wage war on drugs, the government has lost its sense of perspective on the relative severity of crimes and seems determined to single out drug offenders for permanent punishment. While thieves may spend time incarcerated, they are free to build a new and better life once released. Drug offenders, on the other hand, may be prevented from attending college and from achieving a higher level of education, stunting their socio-economic mobility and prospects for a better future. Legislation sponsored by Rep. Barney Frank ’61-’62 (D-Mass.), which would repeal this provision, is currently under consideration in the House of Representatives. Beyond unfairly punishing drug offenders, the federal law’s flaws also include a class bias. The majority of drug arrests in the United States occur in low-income areas, where police enforcement is at its highest. Although drug use is prevalent among members of all socio-economic classes, law enforcement’s focus on poorer areas creates a risk imbalance between communities of different economic character. The law, by targeting individuals convicted of drug offenses, is more likely to affect poor drug users than rich ones. Furthermore, even when wealthier students are convicted of drug offenses, the loss of financial aid is likely to present a lesser burden. Therefore, the law not only unfairly targets low-income communities, but also punishes most severely individuals from those very communities. Yale should be commended for its efforts to provide access to education for otherwise-qualified individuals convicted of minor drug offenses. Education is not an incentive to be dangled before teenagers in an effort to keep them from experimenting with drugs; though it may act as a small deterrent for some, the manifest injustice of the policy renders the means unacceptable in achieving the ends. It is vital to the future of every individual that education be widely available to facilitate increased productivity, opportunity and living standards for everyone. The federal government blundered in 1998 and Yale, to its credit, is working to set things right. Harvard, as a finer institution than Yale, should lose no time in following suit. Source: Harvard Crimson (MA Edu)Published: Thursday, April 11, 2002 Copyright: 2002 The Harvard Crimson, Inc.Contact: letters thecrimson.comWebsite: http://www.thecrimson.harvard.edu/Related Articles & Web Site:Student's for Sensible Drug Policyhttp://www.ssdp.org/Yale To Subsidize Aid To Students http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12490.shtml Yale Goes Own Way On Drug Policy http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12484.shtmlWho Is Responsible for Students Losing Education? http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12432.shtml
Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help




Comment #5 posted by Patrick on April 11, 2002 at 11:28:01 PT
Wow
Cheers to the Harvard Crimson for printing this.
Cheers to Yale for having the backbone to tell the guvment where to go.
Cheers to overtoke for saying I think it takes a more intelligent person to be a cannabis user.
Cheers to Lehder for pointing out that Cannabis smokers like to concentrate on their work, read, play music, exercise and play. Cannabis never renders the user catatonic, stupid or violent as alcohol does.Cheers to FoM and cannabisnews.com for being here everyday!!!
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #4 posted by Lehder on April 11, 2002 at 10:52:57 PT
brain food
I think it takes a more intelligent person to be a cannabis user.I think you are right, overtoke. We all know how cannabis stimulates the mind and promotes thinking. Stupid people prefer alcohol which turns the mind off and stimulates the mouth to foolishness and the body to uncoordinated, mindless action and even crime.Alcoholics beat their wives, go berserk and make fools of themselves, wreck their cars, get into fights, miss work, show up late and have our government's blessing.Cannabis smokers like to concentrate on their work, read, play music, exercise and play. Cannabis never renders the user catatonic, stupid or violent as alcohol does. It's no wonder that George Bush prefers booze. Most boozers seem to like cigarettes too, really stupid.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #3 posted by E_Johnson on April 11, 2002 at 09:53:57 PT
Harvard vs. Yale - the Drug Reform Bowl
The federal government blundered in 1998 and Yale, to its credit, is working to set things right. Harvard, as a finer institution than Yale, should lose no time in following suit.;-)
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #2 posted by TroutMask on April 11, 2002 at 09:50:21 PT
The End of the War on Some Drugs
The War on Some Drugs is doomed. All the politicians and other Drug War-mongers who want to see it survive for as long as possible should do one thing: Nothing. It seems every little thing they do to try to prop up the Drug War is backfiring hugely. They made this stupid law which has been talked about ever since, increasing scrutiny of the War on Drugs in general. The War on Drugs can't take such scrutiny! Now these colleges are effectively negating that crappy law and oila, here we have yet even more anti-Drug War publicity. The DEA decides to ban hemp food products and oila, we have more anti-Drug War publicity.So to all yall who support this evil war, please keep trying to support it! You're support is helping it to end a lot faster.-TM
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #1 posted by overtoke on April 11, 2002 at 09:32:06 PT:
Another Insane Law
I feel sorry for the people who's state representative introduced this bill.What's the ONE thing that will have any effect on if a person becomes a drug abuser or not?Education.Look at what they take away from the people who need it the most.I think it takes a more intelligent person to be a cannabis user. We already know that the prohibitionists verily stupid.Jesus used cannabis.
[ Post Comment ]


Post Comment