Pubdate: Wed, 08 Nov 2000 Date: 11/08/2000 Source: San Antonio Express-News (TX) Author: Gregg Davis Yes, students should know the risks of experimenting with drugs. But it's a twisted logic that concludes we ought to place impediments on the road to educating young people even minimally involved with drugs. Universities have focused on binge drinking for good reason. Alcohol severely impairs a person's judgement and ability to function. It's the No. 1 drug of choice. Marijuana use is historically cyclical and will probably go down again even without the heavy hand of the U.S. government. Besides, it's effects are much less problematic to one's judgement and self-control. A person can't smoke enough to overdose. That said, students would be better off not to smoke it. Al gore has admitted smoking marijuana in his younger days. George W. Bush won't deny youthful drug use and has admitted abusing alcohol. Both were able to grow out of drug use without having their education delayed or cut off. Of course, neither of them ever needed financial aid. An educated citizen is not worth losing over the misguided war on drugs. Gregg Davis