Dear Friends,

The Higher Education Act of 1998 (HEA) goes into effect July 1, 2000. It
includes a provision that will deny or delay financial aid to any student with
a drug conviction. For first offense possession charges, aid is lost for one
year. For a first offense distribution charge, aid is denied for two years.
For repeat offenders, aid is denied indefinitely.

The HEA drug provision is unjust for many reasons. First, it only affects
working families who depend on aid. Second, it will disproportionately effect
minorities since law enforcement in the war on drugs is concentrated in
communities of color. Third, it is counterproductive by blocking access to
higher education thus preventing young people from entering the mainstream of
society. Fourth, it denies judges discretion in imposing this punishment
(just like mandatory minimums). Judges already have the power to deny anyone
federal benefits for any crime, but HEA makes it automatic. And fifth, there
is no similar provision for any other offense -- not rape, murder, or any
other violent offense for that matter.

About 20% of the students applying for aid now have left Question 28 (the drug
question) blank. The Department of Education has said that they will not deny
aid to those who leave the question blank. They may require students to fill
out additional forms in the future to receive their aid. Lying on the forms
will be penalized and the student must immediately repay any loans.

Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP), along with other groups, is working
hard to oppose the HEA drug provision and support Barney Frank's (D-MA) bill,
HR 1053, which will repeal the drug provision. Visit <http://www.ssdp.org> for
more information on what you can do. Also, visit
<http://www.raiseyourvoice.com> to sign a petition for your representatives to
support HR 1053 and repeal the HEA drug provision.

Not only do drug warriors take our freedom and our property in the name of
"saving the children," but now they've denied young people access to higher
education.

Thanks for your support,
Kristy Gomes
President, GWU SSDP
ssdp@gwu.edu

Zoe Sodja
Document Publishing & Editing Center
University of California Santa Cruz
(831) 459-3882
zoe@cats.ucsc.edu