The Daily Emerald rightly criticizes our nation’s criminal justice priorities in the era of the War on Drugs (“Marijuana poses lesser threat than violent theft,” ODE May 12).
Violent criminals are allowed to roam free while our prisons are filled with nonviolent drug offenders. The misguided War on Drugs also directly targets students.
Since 1998, more than 160,500 students have been denied financial aid because they have drug convictions. Rapists, murderers, burglars and arsonists are all free to receive financial aid once they’ve otherwise paid their debt to society; only drug offenders have the doors of education automatically slammed shut in their faces.
Students who want to help change misguided drug policies that negatively affect them should start a chapter of Students for Sensible Drug Policy. Visit
Inbox: U.S. drug policy directly targets college students
May 16, 2005
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