Follow Up Thoughts on UNH's Drug Use

I've been working on a research paper all day and I need a quick break from that type of writing...

So, I would just like to take a few moments to follow up on yesterday's post about UNH's number 1 drug ranking in the country. First of all, there is noway that list is accurate at all and it only takes a little statistical analysis (and common sense) to realize that. UNH has a zero tolerance policy, meaning if you have one tiny little marijuana seed or tidbit of pot on you, you will be arrested. Many other schools, such as Vermont, simply issue you a citation much like a speeding ticket. That means while UNH has more arrests for marijuana than other schools, it does not mean that UNH students are using pot more than others. We simply get in more trouble for it. If that study was to be done accurately it would need to include citations issued for drug use along with the arrest numbers. If that were the case, I would highly doubt UNH would even crack the top 10, if it would even make the list. Now, do a fair amount students here use pot? Yes. But I guarantee it is not any higher (and actually probably less) than most of the other schools on that list.

It a way it is kind of amusing because UNH is only being labeled a top drug school because our policy is so strict. Either way, it is completely ridiculous that this has been made into a big story. I mean it's the "Daily Beast" a glorified internet blog that made a slideshow. There really is no solid evidence to back up their claims. This is just another case of the conservative media trying to make us all look bad... I wouldn't be surprised if Stephenson Billings of Christwire was behind this list...

Stay classy, not UMassy.