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• Reputation: 68 Q&A: 2 0 0 29 1 0 Classifieds: 0 0 what's this? Expert: 2 topics 420: The Straight Dope About Pot Weed Week Follow Following 0

  3 0 In 2006, Congress passed the Higher Education Reconciliation Act of 2005 ("HERA"), which limited application of the federal financial aid penalty to students who were receiving aid at the time of the commission of the "offense." A student who is enrolled on the date of the offense and receiving federal financial aid for that period of enrollment becomes ineligible to receive aid for one year on a first offense, two years for a second offense, and indefinitely for a third.  20 U.S.C. sec. 1091(r) . You can learn more about ongoing efforts to repeal this law altogether here . Alison Holcomb answered in 420: The Straight Dope About Pot over 2 years ago | Report Comment on this answer Enter your comment or ask a new question New comments are not being accepted at this time.

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  0 0 In relation to this its important to note that the denial would be, to the best of my knowledge, based on self reporting only. You are asked to indicate on the FAFSA whether or not you've ever been charged with a drug crime. If the answer is yes and you say no, I don't know there is any mechanism that would allow the conviction to be turned up otherwise by the financial aid folks. Also, you said charged. I would assume that the law would be based on convictions rather than charges-EG, spend some money on a lawyer! the dud(e) answered in 420: The Straight Dope About Pot over 2 years ago | Report 2 comments by crinzle and Hempstead,NY… 0 0 That is a good point...I know several people who lie on their FAFSAs...not that I would ever encourage that. But it seems like they don't investigate anything...could be that they don't actually have access to your legal records, or IRS information. crinzle commented over 2 years ago | Report 0 0 I'm afraid the lie itself might be subject to criminal penalty (for making false statements, and quite possibly for fraud) and you're dealing with establishable, third-party, data ('have you been charged with a drugs crime?'), so I shouldn't chance it. I like some drugs, but I am willing to forgo them when the unfair rules I can't change make it impossible to get things I and my family need---like a job---and this in fact comforts me: it proves that the drug is not a bad thing for me, I'm adult and rational and willful enough not to do it. Yes, it sucks that things are this way; yes, they are this way, and I think it behooves you to not risk a big part of your future on a small, not particularly important, pleasure. If it _is_ a very important pleasure, I'd doubly suggest staying away from it whilst you try to get things done. Of course, if your health really demands its usage, that's a problem.... Hempstead,NY commented over 2 years ago | Report Enter your comment or ask a new question New comments are not being accepted at this time.

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  0 0 I don't know. History: Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN) succeeded in getting legislation passed in '98, signed into law by President Clinton in October of that year, that denied federal student financial aid for the possession of drugs. Period. Heroin or marijuana? Didn't matter. A pound of grass or a handful of stems and seeds? Didn't matter. As I recall, there was a relaxation of the law which permitted those convicted of minor pot possession to continue receiving financial aid if they underwent a "drug rehab" program of some kind. And, I know there's been an effort to chip away further at the draconian, anti-civil liberties law. But I'm just not up to speed. Any others out there who can weigh in, get us all up to date? normstamper answered in 420: The Straight Dope About Pot over 2 years ago | Report Comment on this answer Enter your comment or ask a new question New comments are not being accepted at this time.

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