Brown is the most rigorous, socially progressive university in the United States.
Some form of the notion presumably attracted a sizeable portion of the Brown student body and for good reason: Curiosity and tolerance are solid values upon which to build a school.
But is it true? Maybe we are better off asking: Is Brown the most rigorous, socially progressive university that Brown can be? A thoughtful editorial on Brown’s drug culture (“Dealing with drug culture,” Jan. 24) suggests the answer is no.
The editorial raises pertinent questions regarding drug use, abuse and student unity, particularly as Spring Weekend approaches. For freshmen, Spring Weekend remains the stuff of legends. For some upperclassmen, it is a delightful blur and for others, Spring Weekend means vomit in the sink, hot-boxed hallways and alienation. Alienation and Brown don’t mix. Now is the time to engage in a candid discussion about how a student body can remain both diverse and unified with regards to drug use.
Brown students enjoy the blessings of a multicultural community. As an institution built on curiosity and tolerance, we regard cultures as equal, arguably so long as a culture isn’t directly injurious. We don’t try to convert people into thinking that, for example, keeping kosher is ridiculous, that contact sports are stupid or that drugs have benefits. At the very least we abide by the maxim: “To each his own,” though Brown students are known for a willingness to expand their horizons.
Many Brown students have raised heartfelt complaints regarding the drug culture at Brown. The author of the editorial felt that Brown’s progressive drug policies worked but that drug use falling through those cracks negatively affects our student community. All of us have probably experienced some level of distaste for excessive drinking, obnoxious noise, stupid degrees of highness and senseless sex, even if we ourselves have once participated. We all recognize there is a time and place for everything. We must respect that some students feel that way most of the time about certain activities, and we must respect that in the name of tolerance.
If you are reading this and saying to yourself something along the lines of, “Get used to it — people drink and go to Jo’s, so don’t get upset because you don’t do what the rest of us do,” I urge you to keep in mind that one, Josiah’s isn’t for the drunk, but rather for everyone and two, judge not, or you’ll be judged in the same way. How would you feel if someone thought you were “another stupid drunk,” or “another stoner throwing his brains away”? Neither reaction reflects the tolerance or curiosity that we as Brown students have committed to one another by being here. Nor does either reaction fairly portray the reality of those who decide to use drugs and those who don’t.
Students for Sensible Drug Policy believes progressive school policy yields the safest and least destructive drug culture possible. Progressive drug policy, once considered political suicide, now defines a new political consensus. The center of the debate no longer revolves around the sentencing disparities between crack cocaine and powder cocaine, but between decriminalization and legalization. No longer will you hear major politicians using the same “tough on crime” bit you would have in the 1990s. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former Rep. Patrick Kennedy and former President Bill Clinton — who expanded the death penalty to drug lords — have all publicly stated that the current prohibition-style drug war doesn’t work. Five years ago, only radicals might have said that, and now sensible drug reform is a bipartisan issue.
SSDP has always pushed for common-sense solutions, but there are more questions to answer: Why do students smoke marijuana inside? If the University said certain outdoor areas qualified as safe-zones for marijuana smokers, would students be less likely to smoke inside? Would fewer fire alarms go off at 2 a.m.? Not many students smoke cigarettes inside, even when it’s cold out. And if the school funded water and snacks for substance-heavy campus events, would we see as many sick students returning to dorms?
SSDP members may hold different views on the aforementioned questions but stand for two basic propositions: Users and abusers of drugs aren’t criminals, and mental health care should be widely available for those in need. SSDP will fight to reallocate 100 percent of War on Drugs funding towards treatment and education.
There is no ending the negative externalities of drug use, but constantly reminding students that calling emergency medical services will not result in any disciplinary action will surely benefit all of us. SSDP has fought for these practical and progressive measures, and the Brown administration has been highly receptive, but there is clearly more work and listening to do. We can only move forward together.
Students for Sensible Drug Policy meets Thursdays at 8 p.m. in J. Walter Wilson 501.
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