(U-WIRE) AMHERST, Mass. –– Federal drug policies are hindering student’s chances of receiving financial aid, which is raising questions from state legislators and students as to why these policies still exist.

According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report, 829,625 people were arrested for marijuana violations in 2006. Out of those people, 89 percent were charged with marijuana possession only.
Meanwhile, NORML.org says 18 to 24 year-olds comprised about 40 percent of all drug arrests in 2002.

The majority of people who are convicted of a marijuana violation are charged with one of the lesser offenses, and a large percentage of those convicted fall into the college age group.

One of the processes of obtaining financial aid from the government is to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form, which is required from every student. In recent years, the integrity of this form has been questioned, due to its “vague biased-ness,” said University of Massachusetts Financial Aid Services Director Kenneth Burnham.

For example, question 31 asks, “Have you been convicted for the possession or sale of illegal drugs for an offense that occurred while you were receiving federal student aid?” As a result of this question, an estimated 175,000 students convicted of certain drug offenses are denied federal financial aid for college each year.

State House Representative for Massachusetts Barney Frank has become outspoken on the opposition of the FAFSA.

“The law is unfair and discriminatory, because it only causes difficulties for lower-income students,” Frank said. “While I don’t condone illegal drug use, I disagree with the idea of using the federal financial aid system to punish people who have been convicted of relatively minor drug convictions.”

The opposition felt by Frank is shared with Burnham.

” Anything that gets in the way of students obtaining the aid they need, we do not promote or support it,” Burnham said. “All that the university can do is just abide by the regulations set by
the federal government.”

When asked if there were strong possibilities for a change in the FAFSA, Burnham replied “It appears now that question 31 will stand, unless there is a change in administration.”

Students are also banding together in the hopes of making some changes. Groups such as Students for a Sensible Drug Policy are making attempts to amend the policies.