Washington, DC: Congress approved budget legislation last week that includes provisions lifting the ban on federal aid to students who have a prior, non-violent drug conviction. The Congressional ban, known as the “drug offender exclusionary provision” of the Higher Education Act, has denied federal financial aid to some 175,000 students since its enactment in 1998.
Under the Congressional amendment, students with past drug convictions will now be eligible to apply for federal financial aid. However, students who are convicted of a nonviolent drug offense, including minor marijuana possession, while in college will continue to be stripped of their federal aid eligibility.
“This partial reform by Congress is long overdue and is a step in the right direction,” said NORML board member Chris Mulligan, campaign director for the Coalition for Higher Education Act Reform (CHEAR). “Nonviolent, minor marijuana offenders should not be singled out and restricted from receiving college loans over a joint.”
Mulligan noted that a new report released by CHEAR this week found that 35 states also deny educational funding because of drug convictions.
For more information, please contact Allen St. Pierre, NORML Executive Director, at (202) 483-5500. Full text of the CHEAR report, “Falling Through the Cracks: Loss of State-Based Financial Aid Eligibility for Students Affected by the Federal Higher Education Act Drug Provision,” is available online at: http://www.raiseyourvoice.com