cannabisnews.com: Not Just 'Getting Stoned Day'





Not Just 'Getting Stoned Day'
Posted by CN Staff on April 20, 2005 at 12:40:42 PT
By Casey Freeman, Colorado Daily Staff Writer
Source: Colorado Daily
The war on drugs doesn't just affect the users and dealers. It takes money away from students who need financial aid.Campus activist Dustin Craun and Hip Hop Congress are holding an event called "Damn the Drug War" at the UMC Fountain today at 5 p.m. This event is part of the Fourth Annual Hip Hop Congress Awareness Week: Respect the Culture.
"Basically it's an event that happened to fall on the week on 4/20. As people who are Hip-Hoppers, the drug war has greatly affected our community, being that there's 1.2 million people in jail in the United States from drug offenses; 80 percent of those being people of color," said Craun.Masta Ace, a hip hop artist from Brooklyn, N.Y. will perform, followed by political discussions about the effects of the drug war.The group is most concerned with a recent statement by the CU's chancellor's office that "Student Code violations regarding the use of illegal drugs, such as marijuana, are handled similarly to alcohol violations. Violators also may be subject to federal regulations concerning drug penalties and potential loss of financial aid." This means drug offenses, like smoking pot, can be counted as a strike on a student's record. After a student racks up two strikes, he or she can be suspended from school."We wanted to bring to the students awareness that they need to be real careful that the University is seriously thinking about cracking down (on 4/20), because if you have more than one drug offense, you basically cannot get financial aid," said Craun. "Because the U.S. government has classist policies that would affect poor people who get drug convictions."The week of events was planned three months ago, and just happened to fall on April 20, a kind of holiday for people who enjoy smoking marijuana."You cannot have 4/20 without thinking of what the drug war does to people in this country and throughout the world," said Craun. "This is a much bigger thing than 'Getting Stoned Day.'"Other Hip Hop Congress Awareness Week events will take on Friday, April 22, 8 p.m. UMC 235, Caf/ Nuba: Revolutionary Curse Words. There will be an independent hip hop film, art shows and poetry.For additional information about Hip Hop Congress Awareness Week, contact Dustin Craun at: craund gmail.comSource: Colorado Daily (UC Edu, CO)Author: Casey Freeman, Colorado Daily Staff WriterPublished: April 20, 2005Copyright: 2005 Colorado DailyContact: letters coloradodaily.comWebsite: http://www.coloradodaily.com/CannabisNews -- Cannabis Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/cannabis.shtml 
Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help




Post Comment