Friend,

In 1998 Congress ramped up the war on drugs on students and enacted the Aid Elimination Penalty without debate. This added a drug conviction question to student financial aid forms. Since then, more than 200,000 individuals have been denied aid because of their answers to that question.

Simply being convicted for possessing an illegal drug like marijuana– which law enforcement makes more than 600,000 arrests for a year – can mean the loss of student financial aid to continue higher education, creating a senseless barrier to education.

This needs to change. No one should be denied access to education because of a drug conviction. With your support we can turn back this terrible policy and once again allow thousands of aspiring students to further their education. When you join us today, your donation today will triple in impact thanks to a special 3-to-1 match.

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This policy effectively only impacts students who rely on financial aid the most to complete their education. It disproportionately impacts people of color the same way that communities of color are disproportionately targeted for drug enforcement.

This year, the Drug Policy Alliance helped found the Unlock Higher Ed Coalition, a national group of organizations fighting to increase educational access for people with criminal convictions and centers people directly impacted by these educational barriers in advocacy efforts. Your special gift today will go 3X as far to remove these unjust barriers for people with drug convictions.

With our allies, we advanced legislation in Congress to eliminate the question about prior drug convictions on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form that students must complete to obtain financial aid for higher education. Removing this unnecessary barrier for people with drug convictions will greatly increase the educational opportunities for thousands of people a year.

But we need your help to see this life-changing legislation through to victory. A drug conviction should not be a barrier to education. Please make a gift to triple your impact to unlock higher education today.

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Grant Smith,
Deputy Director, Office of National Affairs
Drug Policy Alliance

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