$500 or jail
But amendment really lowers drug penalty
Bv
MARTHA MANGELSDORF
Kansan Staff Writer
On the same day the concurrent resolution on college demonstrators passed the Kansas Senate, a bill amending the penalty for possession of marijuana, first offenders, passed also.
The amendment called for a maximum penalty of $500 and/or imprisonment of up to one year in a county jail for first offenders. Present law calls for a maximum fine of $1,000 and one year imprisonment, or both fine and imprisonment. The amendment reduces first offense convictions to a misdemeanor.
Comparisons of the Kansas legislature's actions on resolutions against college demonstrators instead of harsh bills, and reduction of penalties for the possession of marijuana to a misdemeanor for a first offense, compare favorably or
are more lenient than many states.
State law enforcement officers agree there has been a dangerous increase in the illegal traffic and use of drugs in the last year. They find the increase particularly in the use of marijuana, the barbiturates and amphetamines and the ' mind - expanding ' hallucinogens -LSD and the more deadly STP- and especially among juveniles and teen-agers
This has come about in the face of generally severe penalties that include possible death sentences for the sale of narcotics to a minor in two states, Alabama and Georgia, and possible life or 99-year sentences for pushers in nine states.
In cases involving "dangerous drugs", the depressants, stimulants and hallucinogens, as distinguished from the more addictive opium derivatives, Colorado provides probation with no criminal record if the
user agrees to undergo psychiatric treatment.
Kentucky, in effect waives a 12-month jail sentence for a narcotics user if he accepts commitment for hospital treatment.
Montana actually has no prohibitory law covering barbiturates, amphetamines and hallucinogens.
Trend toward LSD
There is a trend, by no means unanimous, toward taking marijuana, LSD, depressants and stimulants out of the narcotics category and setting up lesser penalties for violations involving these. Many states already have. The reasoning is largely pragmatic.
Richard J. Cohen, chief of the Maine attorney general's criminal division, says, "the law should differentiate between the one-time user and the pusher."
In addition to revamping the Kansas state criminal code, the Kansas legislative council has
urged the legislature to take another look at marijuana penalties, citing "apparent unwillingness to prosecute" owners of land where marijuana grows wild.
An attorney general's opinion said landowners who fail to destroy marijuana, after being informed of its presence, are technically guilty of possession. The present first-offense penalty is a fine of $100 to $1000 and up to one year in jail. Subsequent violations are 7-year prison felonies.
The council said there were more than 52,000 acres of marijuana growing wild in Kansas. Neighboring Nebraska has the same problem.
Comparing both sides of the coin, a 1968 California law reduces first offense of possession of marijuana and LSD to a misdemeanor, although giving the judge the option to invoke a felony penalty.
defeated, carried a penalty for college students over and above that imposed on all marijuana lawbreakers, and would have subjected to fine and removal from office all private and public college administrators refusing to suspend convicted students.
A second proposal, recently
Sen. Herb Nore of Genoa, Neb., who earlier in the week predicted the University of Kansas would become "a second Berkeley" in the near future, said "dupes of the Communists" were fighting such legislation.
On the other side of the coin, Florida last year classified marijuana as a narcotic, with offenders subject to more severe penalties than those involving hallucinogens.
Gov. Stan Hathaway says he will ask the 1969 Wyoming legislature to reclassify as felonies violations involving hallucinogens, stimulants and depressants.
Senior studies-constantly
By MINA RELPH
Kansan Staff Writer
College students often dream of a magical formula for good grades, but many never realize the secret to academic success is study-and plenty of it.
Kenneth Hickin, Macon, Ga. senior, can vouch for the value of extensive study.
A KU honors program student, Hickin undermined his achievement of last semester.
Hickin, whose majors are mathematics and anthropology, earned 60 grade points last semester while carrying 25 credit hours.
"It was really my worst semester," he said, "I earned 66 grade points with 23 credit hours when I was a second semester freshman."
KU attracted this outstanding scholar when Hickin attended a KU high school science camp. His performance earned him a second invitation.
Following his second visit to
18 KANSAN Mar. 7
1969
The key to his academic success is really no secret, Hickin said.
the KU campus, Hickin said he decided. "I just liked it here."
Another reason for his choice of KU was the far-reaching reputation of the KU mathematics department, he said. KU's invitation to join the honors program clinched Hickin's decision.
"I study most of the time," he said, "but I usually study only what I like and let other subjects slide until I'm forced to study them."
"Fortunately, it hasn't hurt me too much," he added.
He estimated that he studied nearly five hours a night.
Despite his hours of study, Hickin finds time to earn a little spending money by tutoring fellow McCollum Hall residents in mathematics.
His "clients" are varied, Hickin said, and added that his following is limited at the beginning of each semester, but grows rapidly as finals approached.
"I tutor students individually," he said, "and the sessions usually last an hour."
Hickin, who will graduate this spring with approximately 150 credit hours, plans to go to graduate school-probably at UCLA to which he applied this year.
"This semester, however, I am only carrying 17 hours," he added, "since I have to study for the Western Civilization exam."
"I plan to earn my Ph.D., and then I hope to become a college professor in math," he said.
For Civilian Positions with the U.S. Air Force Systems Command
The Systems Command utilizes the skills of SCIENTISTS, ENGINEERS, and TECHNICALLY ORIENTED ADMINISTRATORS to meet its mission as the Air Force's single overall manager for the steps involved in the acquisition of aerospace systems. These openings exist throughout the country and offer exceptional first job involvement in professional work. Most positions are in the Career Civil Service.
If he decides to teach, Hickin said he would be willing to teach at KU, but would like to teach "in a new place, probably the West coast, for a while."
Hickin said he admired the friendliness of KU professors and their willingness to spend
Contact your campus Placement Officer to arrange an interview, or write to:
March 11, 1969
Headquarters Air Force Systems Command (SCPCB-CN)
Andrews Air Force Base
Washington, D.C. 20331
Hickin said that the quality of students attending KU is probably the same as in any university.
"I usually find the dorm too noisy, and I rarely study at the library for the same reason," he said.
An Equal Opportunity Employer
GRAVITT'S
AUTOMATIC LAUNDRY
Bring it in,
we'll do it for you
913 N.H. VI 3-6844
time with undergraduate students.
He said his only regret was the lack of a good place to study.