MARIJUANA TARGETED OVER ALCOHOL

In a September 2009 mlive.com article found here:
http://www.mlive.com/special-sections/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2009/09/know_your_rights_ways_to_prote.html.
The Kalamazoo Gazette Staff writes:

"But WMU usually handles alcohol matters without getting police
involved unless the incident gets out of control," said Steve Palmer,
director of residence life.

Campus staff typically contacts police to residence halls for two
reasons -- drug use and violent or dangerous behavior where someone's
well-being may be jeopardized."

As a Western Michigan University student, it worries me that the
administration encourages the use of a potentially dangerous drug,
alcohol, by setting harsher punishments for a much safer drug, marijuana.

Each and every year, drinking by college students contributes to
1,400 student deaths, 500,000 injuries and 70,000 sexual assaults or
date rapes. In contrast, no one has ever died from marijuana. Ever.

By setting merciless unfair punishments for marijuana while giving
out slaps-on-the-wrist for alcohol, the university is essentially
coercing students to put themselves at greater risk. If
administrators truly have students' health and safety in mind, they
will make sure that the penalties for marijuana are no greater than
those for alcohol.

Western Michigan University SSDP supports the administration to lower
marijuana possession penalties to equal those for underage drinking.
The administration would be wise to adopt this policy in the
interest of students' safety. Students who wish to get involved with
SSDP should come to our coalition meetings in the Bernhard Center on
Tuesdays at 9:30 p.m.

Sincerely,

Skylar Van Dyke

Freshman