Drugs will kill you. Or at least that’s what propaganda has led the public to believe, according to the president of a new drug policy student organization.

Since today’s college students are a product of the D.A.R.E. generation, students have been scared into believing misconceptions about drugs and their effects, said Kaylee Burton, professional writing senior.

Students for a Sensible Drug Policy is a new campus organization and is the first student group of its kind in Oklahoma. The group promotes changing policy and open discussion about sensitive issues related to drugs, Burton said.

“Our mission is not about promoting drug use,” Burton said. “We are trying to get people talking about this and ask what the facts are.”

Burton said one of the biggest issues will be with recruiting members.

“People are concerned about how their resumes look,” Burton said. “Employers are used to seeing students with various activism, much of which is controversial. All this group is about is open discussion not promoting drug use.”

The group wants to open discussion about the benefits of legalizing marijuana, Burton said.

“If you were to regulate the sale of marijuana on a federal or state level, not only would you clear out the prisons of non-violent offenders, violence goes away and the black market goes away,” Burton said.

Burton said first-time possession of marijuana under university jurisdiction is a misdemeanor, the same as minor alcohol possession. However, second-time possession is a felony and could end with prison time.

“We want to work with student government to change the three-strike policy,” Burton said. “It only includes drinking, but marijuana and drinking are both misdemeanors the first time, so instead of someone going to prison (the second time) and losing all their financial aid automatically, it would be included under the university’s policy.”

Another issue Students for a Sensible Drug Policy wants to address is the number of non-violent offenders in prison, Burton said.

“By being imprisoned, you are not helping them go back and fix their lifestyle,” Burton said. “We feel that is just not right. Rehabilitation should include education and treatment, not incarceration.”

Since the organization recently formed, film and video studies junior Aaron Bisogno said he has been speaking to people about the group and has not run into much skepticism yet.

“We know it’s going to be a long process but even if we don’t accomplish anything, I have to take pride in getting the knowledge out there,” Bisogno said.

When students were asked about the group, University College freshman Alex Broom said he would support this group and it would help campus.

“This could be good,” said Juvenal Huizar, psychology and economics junior. “You can’t go wrong with more education.”

Norman resident Molly Bennett said she was pro-legalization because the times have changed.

“Alcohol and marijuana kind of do the same thing for people,” she said. “They are both gateway drugs, but the group sounds like a cool thing.”

Bisongo said this is a time of change and this is a very important issue, even if it is considered “different.”

“Sometimes in the world, you feel like there are pockets of change that are erupting around us and sometimes you can’t continue to vary it or ignore it or your opponent will always succeed,” Bisongo said.