Pubdate: Fri, 27 Sep 2002
Source: Brown Daily Herald, The (RI Edu)
Copyright: 2002 The Brown Daily Herald
Contact:  http://www.browndailyherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/727
Author: Anna Henderson

STUDENT GROUP PREPARES PUSH FOR A 'SENSIBLE DRUG POLICY'

A new Brown chapter of the nationwide organization Students for a Sensible 
Drug Policy hopes to educate the public about the harm caused by America's 
War on Drugs, members said.

Craig Walzer '03, who started Brown's chapter, said the group is based on 
harm reduction philosophy.

"People have been using drugs throughout history -- it is natural to search 
for external highs," he said.

Over 156 universities and high schools across the United States have SSDP 
chapters.

Walzer first got involved in drug education at the Needle Exchange Project 
through Aids Care Ocean State, where he saw drug users as "desperate 
people, not evil people."

The War on Drugs has caused a variety of harms, said Professor of Political 
Science James Morone.

"It's become a perverse area," Morone said. There are over two million 
Americans in prison or jail, one-third of whom are there on drug-related 
charges.

This is "America's most broken policy area. It's not that drugs aren't a 
problem; it's the way we've gone about solving the problems," Morone said. 
"I hope students rally to the cause."

Walzer said SSDP's first concern at Brown is to address Section 483 of the 
1998 amendment to the Higher Education Act of 1965, which suspends student 
eligibility for financial aid, including Pell Grants and Stafford Loans, 
due to drug-related offenses.

Depending on the conviction, students should be able to reclaim their 
financial aid after a period of time and after completing a drug 
rehabilitation program.

One of SSDP's concerns is that because federal financial aid is need-based, 
this legislation targets lower-income students.

Its other concern is that unequal enforcement of drug laws targets people 
of color.

Walzer said he would like to see Brown follow Yale University's response to 
this amendment.

Yale's Policy is to help students by providing rehabilitation and temporary 
supplemental aid so they can continue their studies.

No Yale student has lost eligibility for aid under this rule yet, Walzer said.

"We want Brown to be the second university to step up," he added.

No Brown student has yet lost their financial aid because of drug-related 
offenses, said Michael Bartini, director of financial aid.

If the situation were to arise, "We would comply with any requirements from 
the Department of Education and then review the case in light of all of the 
circumstances," he said.

Walzer said he would like to bring a big-name speaker to campus as soon as 
possible to draw attention to the group's cause.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens