YOUTHS HAUNTED BY DRUG CHARGES

In North Carolina, a total of 5,000-plus students have been denied
financial aid due to a drug conviction since 2000. That means that
5,000 young adults in the state no longer have access to good jobs
and other opportunities that come with a college diploma.

Congress has consistently avoided taking a stance on the Aid
Elimination Penalty because they haven't been paying attention. A new
case study released by Students for Sensible Drug Policy reveals
exactly how many students in every state have been denied aid due to
a drug conviction. Members of Congress now know precisely how many of
their own constituents have been impacted by this unjust law, and can
no longer afford to stand idly by while those they represent are
forced to drop out of college as a result of this double jeopardy law.

While many people out there believe drug users deserve what they get
for breaking the law, I ask you what if the law held the same
standards to underage drinkers? The double standard of this law
specifically punishes the already disadvantaged youth in our lower
classes. Don't believe me? Well, we had a self-admitted pot smoker
college frat boy as president from 1992 to 2000, and now we have a
convicted DUI Yalie. This law is nothing less than class warfare.

Nick DiColandrea, Carrboro