Andrea is a student at Humboldt State University in Arcata, Calif., who spends her weekdays juggling. At 8 a.m., she's a college student. At 1 p.m., she's the assistant manager of a gas station. After 5, she's a mom. It's a hectic schedule, but she said she wouldn't have it any other way. "I'm just happy to be doing good, doing something that has a future," she said. Andrea wasn't always doing something that has a future. A few years back she was a self-described "pot-head and dope addict." She was also a dealer, making a living by selling pot and "whatever else I could get my hands on." [continues 1602 words]
The Columbia City Council declined Tuesday to support a proposal to liberalize marijuana laws in the city, instead slating the initiative for public consideration on the April 8 ballot. The proposed ordinance, written by MU law student Anthony Johnson and local attorney Dan Viets, seeks to decriminalize medical marijuana and mandate all misdemeanor marijuana possession cases be handled as municipal infractions instead of state criminal offenses. Since the enactment of 1998's Higher Education Act, students arrested on suspicion of any criminal drug offense have been tried in state court. If convicted, students lose their federal financial aid eligibility for at least one year. Keeping MU's student marijuana users from suffering the loss of eligibility is one of the primary goals of the initiative's backers. [continues 448 words]
