College Clips

By James Patrick Schmidt

Published April 6, 2007

Illinois State lecture claims failure in war on drugs

This ain't a deal, it's a drug-based arms race.

This is the situation created by the prohibition of drugs, according to a panel at Illinois State University. The panel discussed the issue at a presentation last Thursday entitled "Prohibition Kills — An Evaluation on the War on Drugs."

"We're here to say prohibition doesn't work," said Greg Francisco, a representative for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition. "It is well-intentioned but is a failure."

Francisco, a former member of the U.S. Coast Guard Drug Interdiction, said he saw a trend after President Ronald Reagan started his zero tolerance policy. He found more of the boats he searched had a lot of weapons.

"I asked them, 'Are those there to be used on us?'" he said. "They said 'No, they are for the other dealers.'"

Francisco said though the drugs are illegal and cost so much, the dealers want to protect their sales, and it creates an arms race between them to be able to do so.

— The Daily Vidette (Illinois State University)

More Americans keeping it green when they get it on

Jacob Gordon, a blogger for TreeHugger.com, a large environmental Web site, said eco is becoming sexy for college students and consumers nationwide. He means this quite literally.

Gordon is also the editor of TreeHugger's widely popular series on "How to Green Your Life," which among other things, counsels readers about how to cast a green tinge on their intimate moments. The guide's suggestions include buying bamboo bed sheets, organic lubricant and eco-undies.

Other popular environmental Web sites also feature stories about environmentally friendly sex. On the Web site for Greenpeace International, an "eco-sex guide" encourages readers to shower together to save water.

"Green sex is part of a bigger thing — it's part of a sustainable lifestyle," he said.

— The Tufts Daily (Tufts University)

Half of college students over consuming booze, drugs

About half of full-time college students abuse drugs and alcohol, according to a March 15 report from Columbia University's National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse.

The study, entitled "Wasting the Best and Brightest," which polled 2,000 students and 400 administrators between 1993 and 2005, found that 49 percent of full-time college students binge drink and abuse drugs. About 23 percent met the medical criteria for substance abuse and dependence, almost triple the proportion in the general population.

"It's time to take the 'high' out of higher education," Joseph Califano, the center's chairman and a former U.S. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare, stated in a news release.

Califano blamed college administrators for facilitating alcohol abuse through apathy.

"By failing to become part of the solution, these Pontius Pilate presidents and parents, deans, trustees and alumni have become part of the problem," Califano stated in the release.

— The Brown Daily Herald (Brown University)