Pot Is 'As By LEE DYKAS Last Monday. Detective William J. Robertson of the South Kingstown PoHce Departmenl told the town's Lions Club that "South County has a drug problem." He said it could nol be classified as a "large problem" but is a "growing problem." and that most
drugs
of the persons involved with are University of Rhode Island
students, both The
simple
URI is that All that
on
and off campus.
truth about
no
drug
knows for
one
is
enlists
use at
is
marijuana students. "It's
according to questioned.
as a
easy to gel as beer," number of students
Estimates of how many students marijuana vary from "about half
use
the student
body"
to
"nearly
all of
The lowest estimate is 47 per
opinion of Barry Solomon, newly appointed director of health services at the university. Mr. Solomon shares with other fac
ulty members and administrators the opinion that the university's problem different from that of any other campus in the United Slates." no
He tion
quickly points
out
"hard" information al
a
magazine thai questionnaires re
derived from
turned
URI, but
uses
that he has
on
Get
to
national
students
by 7.300
200 col
at
and universities in the nation. He adds that the figures may be inac
leges
say how sent
did
because the
curate
out.
magazine many queslionnaires were But Mr. Solomon empha
sizes that until
survey of URl stu dents is completed this semester he will continue
a
"use the
to
the situa
figures reported
turn
The
Rev.
chaplain
at
think it is Last
regularly.
John Hall. Episcopal the university, said. "I significant percentage
Wednesday
half,
uses
marijuana.
five students
sat
reporter and discussed drug
a
use on a
a
on"
than half that
more
with
Beer'
as
students
not
campus for about an hour and which time ihey agreed
during
URI
at
thai the 80 per cenl figure was accu rate. Later in the conversation ihe re
porter asked each student if he had smoked said
no,
Four said yes. one bul added that she intends to
marijuana.
perhaps only coincidentally that "proved" their contention that 80 per cent use marijuana now and maybe more
will in the future.
magazine's
figures." The
he
magazine,
that S3 per never used
explains,
states
of the students have
cent
marijuana, 34 per cent use it occasionally and only 13 per cent use il frequently. Several students laughed at ihc suggestion that more than half the students have not tried marijuana. Mike (that's not his real name), a sophomore who says he attended a "consen'ative" high school in nearby who
admits
he
cent.
That is the
no
in
Massachusetts and
them."
"is
were
sure.
body of opinion. opinion that is at the university easily obtained by
a
But there is one shared by everyone
Easy
recently
or
sometimes
two
often,"
more
said that
nearly every student has at marijuana once. Pressed opinion, he said firmly, "at
"I have never smoked marijuana but I will. I want to try il. I don t think my education will be complete unlil 1 know what it's like. All the kids smoke it and a University of Rhode there's nothing wrong with it." it's
they
say
greal
Island coed and "At least 80
junior
junior.
a at least once." percent of the kids on campus have tried pot marijuana regulariy and once tried a stronger narcol-
who says he smokes
"Pot? It's all
over
the campus.
Anyone
who
wants
it
can
get il."
studenl
problem at URI is the same as il is on every other campus as well as in a the general community." university chaplain. "Our drug problem is no better and no worse than that of the student's peer Dr. Werner A. Baum, URI president. community in the slate." "The
least tried on
that
least 80 per
cent
have smoked
Other students sertive. Paul hiker
picked
where he is tween
(not up, a
half and
are
his
even
name),
near
at
least
more a
Reprinted
from: Providence Journal Bulletin
as
hitch
the campus,
freshman, said "be
three-quarters
of the
Two U.R.I, students
turn
on