Two guest speakers talked about the ongoing war on drugs and its effects on society on Wednesday, Nov. 6, at the Memorial Union. First to speak was Martin Acerbo, professor of psychology. He tried to put the debate into a scientific context. "If we talk about legalizing drugs, we need to carefully consider what questions we need to ask," Acerbo said. Smoking marijuana can have medical effects, but it also has a considerate effect on the cognitive abilities. "It affects your perception on time and your ability to react, so it puts everyone around in danger, once you decide to drive," Acerbo said. Acerbo said that discussions concerning the matter should be dictated by facts rather than emotions. "We don't know yet how certain substances affect your body or interact with each other, especially when you smoke a joint," Acerbo said. "Police officers often arrest people based on the level of THC in your blood, even though that doesn't indicate your level of intoxication at all."

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