Pubdate: Wed, 09 May 2007
Source: Daily, The (U of WA Edu)
Copyright: 2007 The Daily
Contact: http://www.thedaily.washington.edu/Letters
Website: http://www.thedaily.washington.edu/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1254
Author: Garrett Troy
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?219 (Students for Sensible Drug Policy)

MARIJUANA ROLLS ONTO ASUW BALLOT

For those who have not yet voted in this year's ASUW election, one 
ballot question may come as a surprise.

Question on the ballot:

Do you agree that University of Washington policies for the use and 
possession of marijuana should be NO greater than those imposed for 
the use and possession of alcohol?

The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws/Students 
for a Sensible Drug Policy (NORML/SSDP), which recently became a 
Registered Student Organization, has begun its campaign to educate 
students and faculty. Group members said they hope to spark campus 
dialogue regarding the use and possession of marijuana by asking 
students to answer a yes-or-no question before submitting their votes 
for the ASUW officers.

The non-binding survey question asks, "Do you agree that the 
University of Washington penalties for the use and possession of 
marijuana should be NO greater than those imposed for use and 
possession of alcohol?"  A disclaimer ensures the question is asked 
only to gain a sense of how students view the subject.

In addition to the ballot survey question, the ASUW Senate is 
debating a similar non-binding resolution.

"If everyone gets out and votes, I believe the ballot will pass," 
said junior Tim Kelly, NORML/SSDP president. "The Senate is more 
hesitant because they are representing a lot of different people, so 
they may not be as inclined to speak for others on the issue."

Sophomore Jaclyn Kaul, vice president of NORML/SSDP, concurred.

"I feel very confident in the survey question,"  she said. "We have 
talked with a lot of people, and they agree with us; even people who 
do not smoke believe the rules are unfair. One of the biggest things 
we need to do is get the faculty behind us; they are strong allies."

If the ASUW election and senate resolution votes pass, NORML/SSDP 
hopes to bring these statistics to the administration next year in an 
effort to change campus policy.

"The Housing and Food Services (HFS) rules are all very 
circumstantial,"  Kelly said. "While campus policy is not that 
strict, there is a high level of police discretion and interpretation."

Many private universities maintain more tolerant rules regarding drugs.

"Compared to other schools, the Ivy League schools have the most 
liberal drug policies because they don't want anyone to drop out or 
be kicked out of school, because graduation rates and retention rates 
decline,"  Kelly said.

The group has been tabling in front of the HUB to recruit new members 
and ask students to send e-mails to Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) a member 
of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and 
Pensions, which is deciding whether to repeal a law in the Higher 
Education Act that revokes financial aid of college students with 
drug convictions.

The group hopes to show a strong endorsement from college students to 
convince Murray to vote for the repealing of this law. Almost 200,000 
college students with drug convictions have lost their financial aid, 
according to the NORML/SSDP.

"It is ridiculous that convicted rapists are still able to receive 
financial aid while students with drug convictions are singled out," Kelly said.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman