Pubdate: Fri, 15 Sep 2006 Source: Gamecock, The (SC Edu) Copyright: 2006, The Board of Trustees of the University of South Carolina Contact: http://www.dailygamecock.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2319 Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v06/n1221/a01.html Author: Stan White DRUG POLICY UNFAIRLY PUNISHES OFFENDERS If students ("Students With Drug Offenses Lose Financial Aid," Wednesday) are convicted of murder or rape, they'd still be eligible for financial aid in school; this creates another facet of the Higher Education Act and aids policy discrimination that doesn't get mentioned by government supporters. Even if not convicted of a felony, but a misdemeanor, and charged for possessing the God-given plant cannabis (not a drug), one could lose their financial aid. Would students have lost financial aid if caught with alcohol? This provision of the Higher Education Act is bad policy that should be amended or terminated. Stan White - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake