SUBSTANCE ABUSE DOESN'T BELONG AT TECH

While we all share the common goal of graduating with a college
education under our belts, each of us has different reasons for coming
to Tech.

For many, it's to meet people. Still others come to party, make noise
and enjoy the newfound freedoms that adulthood brings. Some even come
to learn.

These motives, and many others, are all perfectly fine reasons to come
to college; enjoy your time here while it lasts. However, there are
some in our community who come here and end up breaking the law,
whether they intended to before moving to Blacksburg or not.

Of course, common ways college students violate the law are through
underage drinking and marijuana-related offenses. Such crimes are a
breach of university policy and Virginia law and thus do not belong
anywhere in Blacksburg.

It doesn't matter if several people you know smoke or sell marijuana
or practice underage drinking almost every day - they're still doing
something illegal. And as long as these activities are illegal, it
doesn't matter how they're justified. The system will punish you
because breaking the law, no matter how insignificant it seems at the
time, can never be validated for any reason.

If you choose to participate in illegal activities, sometimes you're
only hurting yourself, but many times, you're also hurting others.
This rings especially true for marijuana growers and sellers, who
coldly exploit and profit from others without giving thought to the
effects their wares have on their customers' lives.

People who deal in illegal substances are a disgrace to Tech and
universities across the U.S., for that matter, because they come to
college for all the wrong reasons. Instead of coming to contribute to
a campus environment that is constantly evolving and growing, they
squander their time by pursuing unlawful and detrimental behaviors.

The admissions office turns down many people who honestly want to
attend school here to enjoy their time legally and get an education.
When a student gets expelled for breaking the law, their dismissal
sends a poor message to those who would have given anything just to
call themselves a Hokie.

Substance abuse crimes occur every day on campus and, despite the
efforts of the Blacksburg and Virginia Tech Police Departments, it is
simply impossible to catch and prosecute all the offenders. And, while
this fact leads some to act as if they'll never get caught, it also
hides the reality that marijuana growers and distributors often rat
each other out.

It's your decision whether and to what extent to get involved in
illegal substances during your stay at Tech; the world recognizes
you're capable of making adult decisions that entail very real
consequences.

However, the world also expects you to hold up your end of the deal by
suffering the consequences of your actions, whether you want to or
not. Be mindful of this the next time you're about to take your next
swig of vodka or light up your next joint.