The Agony and the Ecstasy at Wesleyan

Twelve people at Wesleyan University overdosed on "Molly" (a rebranding of Ecstasy, i.e., a street hodgepodge of amphetamines and psychedelics). The vice-president for student affairs sent out this email message:

“First, and most importantly, please check in with your friends immediately to make sure that they are okay. Do this right now!”

Then the college president, sent this email a day later, as reported by the New York Times:

"But an email on Monday from Michael S. Roth, the college president, dispatched with the gentle dissuasive voice that some administrators prefer when speaking about drugs, instead resorting to a collar-grabbing warning.

“Please, please stay away from illegal substances the use of which can put you in extreme danger,” he said. “One mistake can change your life forever.”

“If you are aware of people distributing these substances, please let someone know before more people are hurt,” Mr. Roth added."

To me, that still sounds pretty gentle and dissuasive. Not terribly collar-grabbing.

How about something like this?

"Wesleyan University is committed to producing graduates of character and good citizens of our Republic. Students are reminded that the possession, consumption, manufacture, or distribution of substances such as "Molly" are all felony criminal offenses. Therefore, the 10 students recently hospitalized have all been expelled and may never again pursue studies at our college. We wish them well in their recovery but are no longer interested in pursuing an association with them."

The first duty of a citizen is to obey the laws. The "look the other way" attitude of college administrators toward under-aged drinking and illicit drug use is a national disgrace. Let college presidents lobby for lowering the drinking age to 18 and legalizing drugs. Or, let them enforce real penalties for offenders on their campuses. Whichever. Please, please, let the hypocrisy end.