Pubdate: Tue, 20 Oct 2009 Source: Gazette, The (Colorado Springs, CO) Copyright: 2009 The Gazette Contact: http://www.gazette.com/sections/opinion/submitletter/ Website: http://www.gazette.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/165 Author: Debbie Kelley Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth) UCCS GROUP PROTEST HEALTH FAIR'S NOD TO BOOZE OVER POT Booze or pot? For a group of about 50 students at Tuesday's "healthy choices fair" at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, the choice is clear: Pot is the lesser of two evils. The UCCS chapter of Students for Sensible Drug Policy protested the annual fair because members claimed school officials refused to make available their information about "the relative harm" of marijuana versus alcohol and instead promoted "responsible alcohol use" at the event. "I've seen how college students like to have fun, and every study proves cannabis is far better for you than alcohol. We'd like to educate students on this safer way of partying," said senior Stephanie Morphet, president of the student group, which formed this semester. Joining the protest at the group's invitation was Mason Tvert of Denver, co-founder of the nationwide Safer Alternative for Enjoyable Recreation, and co-author of the newly released book, "Marijuana is Safer: So why are we driving people to drink?" "Marijuana is a much safer substance that's equally available - but the school prefers alcohol and accepts the fact that people are going to get intoxicated. We're asking that marijuana be given equal time in the discussion," Tvert said. "They're steering students away from marijuana and toward drinking, saying that people should do it responsibly, even if they're 18 to 20." Along with booths from the university's counseling and health centers and local agencies that address health issues such as domestic violence and AIDS, campus and city police conducted several alcohol awareness demonstrations. "I'd certainly say we're not promoting alcohol, and while we encourage free speech and the sharing of ideas, the university does not endorse the illegal use of either alcohol or marijuana," said UCCS spokesman Tom Hutton. Tvert said it's as illegal for people under 21 to drink alcohol as it is for them to use marijuana, and penalties under the state's laws are greater for alcohol than marijuana use. "We're not going to settle for the reason that one's legal and one's not. There's conclusive evidence that alcohol contributes to domestic violence, date rape, fighting, property damage - and marijuana does not," he said. Protesters stood outside the fair's perimeter but in front of a wrecked vehicle in which a 17-year-old Lakewood woman died in 2007 when her car was struck by drunk driver, who, ironically, also had smoked marijuana. The pro-marijuana groups do not advocate smoking pot and driving, Tvert said: "This is about college partying, and if an 18-year-old would prefer to sit in their dorm room, use marijuana and play Halo, that should be perfectly fine." Tvert's organization started five years ago after two students died from alcohol abuse, one at the University of Colorado at Boulder and the other at Colorado State University. Tvert said his organization and groups at the college level are calling for college campuses to "no longer steer students toward drinking" and pass measures making it easier for students to choose marijuana over alcohol as the preferred substance to alter consciousness. UCCS biology professor Bob Melamede said the public perception of marijuana seems to be shifting toward a more sympathetic view, particularly in light of Monday's announcement from the Obama administration that medical marijuana users and suppliers will not be arrested as long as they conform to state laws. "There's a fundamental bias against understanding the truth that's no longer appropriate and is totally insane. People can benefit from this natural medicine that taps into the way we work biologically," said Melamede. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D