SSDP BRINGS NATIONAL SPEAKER TO CAMPUS

Nelson Addresses War On Drugs

"Cop says legalize drugs." The message lined Missouri Southern
sidewalks for the past week.

With less than a month as an official campus organization, Students
for a Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) brought Law enforcement against
prohibition speaker Terry Nelson to the University.

Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) is a non-profit
organization consisting of law enforcement officials and private
citizens dedicated to education on what they call the "failed public
policy" of the war on drugs. Nelson-a former police officer-gave two
presentations about drug policy reform to members of SSDP, students
and members of the community.

"His argument is inarguable," said Kyle Tucker, instructor of English
and faculty adviser to SSDP.

Nelson said the organizations primary goal is to educate the public
on the dangers of the war on drugs and how reforms can be made.

"They [students] have to be given the truth," he said. "It's the not
the drugs it's the abuse of the drugs.

LEAP does not support or condone the use of currently illegal
substances. However, they wish to draw attention to the tax dollars
spent and the violence produced by waging the drug war.

"It needs to be done, it's broken and it needs to be fixed, that's
what I know," Nelson said.

LEAP also hopes educating the public on the past failure of the
prohibition of alcohol will generate change in the way America
manages its drug policy.

"How can we keep drugs out of our schools if we can't even keep them
out of our prisons," Nelson said.

Members of SSDP believe education on "a sensible drug policy" is
important, especially for college students due to the higher
percentage of use and financial aid ramifications.

"I think it's hypocritical that murderers and rapists can get the
same financial aid," said Kelly Maddy, part-time student and founder
of Southern's chapter of SSDP.

Students also said a lifetime of tax dollars that could potentially
go to the "failed public policy" of the drug war.

"The future of young people is being mortgaged," Tucker said. "If
anyone has a right to care about tax dollars, it's them."