Reed College in Oregon has long had an unofficial reputation as a stoner's paradise where students are free to enjoy their favorite illegal substances in peace without interference from college officials.
This unofficial "smoke 'em if you got 'em" policy has come under attack this month from Oregon prosecutors after two Reed students died of heroin overdoses over the past two years. Federal prosecutors have threatened to crack down on the college and take away its federal funds unless the college adopts a "zero-tolerance" policy against drug users, a policy that would piss off a majority of Reed students who chose the campus for its pro-stoner policies.
The procesutors plan to send undercover drug agents to the campus' annual Renn Fayre festival this weekend, an event at which public drug use has been on display.
You can read the Portland Oregonian story about this here.
Of course there is nothing in Reed's official documents, view books or college policies that allow drug use. This policy is unofficialy promoted in conversations and e-mails from college students to high school students. Parents interested in finding out if the college they are considering for their children is a drug haven in disguise should take a look at the punishments handed out for drug violations.
Some colleges still expel students for illegal drug use, but judicial boards at drug-friendly colleges dole out sentences that include "mandatory drug education programs" or the writing of 5oo-word essays on "why drugs are bad." Even a high school student can understand that these kinds of punishments are really no punishments at all and do nothing to discourage the abuse of dangerous drugs.
In fact, colleges with "drug-friendly" reputations are really part of an underground marketing strategy to attract student customers willing to pay high tuition rates to enjoy their dangerous lifestyle choices.
It will be interesting to see how this confrontation plays out over the next few weeks.
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