URI STUDENTS LOBBY FOR CHANGE IN FEDERAL DRUG LAW

KINGSTON - In this country, being convicted of misdemeanor marijuana
possession can carry a consequence that has nothing to do with prison
time, probation, community service or fines.

For the convicted, it could cost them a college education.

And last weekend, a University of Rhode Island student group dedicated
to sensible drug policy gathered with students from around the country
to discuss action to repeal the law.

Per a 1998 amendment of the Higher Education Act, once convicted of a
drug charge - whether a misdemeanor to a felony - a person becomes
ineligible to receive federal college aid.

"[The law] makes no sense if we want to reduce the harms of drug abuse
in this country," said Tom Angell, president of the URI chapter of
Students for Sensible Drug Policy, in telephone interview Wednesday.

The legislation is counter-productive to the aim of remedying the
nation's drug problems, said Angell, a psychology major and senior who
joined the SSDP in 2002, after "stumbling onto the web site."

"The more I found out about the issue, the more I said, 'Oh my God',"
he said.

According to its web site, SSDP is a national organization with 200
campus chapters nationwide, that seeks to "reduce the harms caused by
drug abuse and drug policies," focusing on drug issues surrounding
"young and underrepresented communities."

At the top of the organization's agenda is campaigning student
governments and lawmakers to support a repeal of the Drug-Free Student
Aid provision in the 2004 Congressional session.

The way to get drug abusers on the right track isn't to tell them,
"You can't go to school," said Angell.

He was one of 13 representatives from URI's SSDP chapter to meet with
other SSDP students at the New England College Convention 2004 in
Manchester, New Hampshire last weekend.

The convention brought together student groups from around New
England, including 160 SSDP members, to discuss their own initiatives
and get ideas from other school chapters.

"We told them about what we're doing on our campus," said Angell, "And
we found out what they're doing."

They were also proud to report that URI's SSDP has the support of
university President Robert L. Carothers.

"He is a man who has worked hard to curb alcohol and drug abuse on
campus," said Angell. "So he not someone who is soft on drugs."

Yet, "He is sensible. He's seen that this law is ineffective and
counterproductive."

Angell said that while no one from the URI chapter of SSDP has been
directly affected by the legislation, those who attended the
convention met representatives from other chapters who have been
"victims" of the law. And it only inspired the students more.

Every week at URI, twenty-five or thirty members of the SSDP meet to
discuss campaign initiatives, like letter writing and meeting with
legislators.

So far, said Angell, 64 Congressional house representatives have
endorsed the bill to repeal the Drug-Free Student Aid pro-vision.

Rhode Island representatives James Langevin and Patrick Kennedy have
yet to endorse the bill, he said.

Angell, also a member of the URI Student Senate and a member of the
national SSDP board of directors, plans to continue with "the
movement" after he graduates.

While his original plan was to attend graduate school for psychology,
he is now thinking about getting a job within the SSDP or another
reform organization after graduation.

It's a move inspired by simply "stumbling onto a web site" and seeing
a wrong that needed to be righted, he said.