Live Free or Die, Man

In a recent "Daily Beast" survey, the University of New Hampshire comes out on top as the "druggiest college in America."  But it doesn't stop there.  The top four schools on the list are all in New England.   Northeastern, Bryant College and Maine round out the Fried Four.  Williams, Vermont, UMass and Hampshire College also cracked the top 50.

I have mixed feelings about this.  I was an occasional (once or twice a month) pot smoker in and shortly after college. But I stopped because after awhile, I realized it didn't do anything for me.  (At least alcohol gave me a nice buzz.)  I never did crack, heroin or any other hard drugs because for me, the potential for dying on the first attempt overrode any theoretical benefits.

That said, while I don't do drugs anymore, I also feel the decision to partake in drugs is one's personal choice and think it's silly to legislate these sorts of things.  Prohibition was a big disaster, which is why it was repealed after only 14 years -- by constitutional amendment, no less; you know it's bad public policy when three-fourths of the state legislatures, which usually can't come to agreement on the state bird, are motivated to repeal it -- and to me the War on Drugs is just prohibition with a more militaristic name.  In that sense, it's kind of cool that the top four, and 8 of the top 50, "druggie schools" are in New England.  New Englanders have never been keen on having the government infringe upon their civil liberties.

I also find it delicious that a school from New Hampshire tops the list.  New Hampshire has one of the most right-wing conservative papers in America (The Union Leader of Manchester; I wonder how this news went over in the Union Leader's editorial board meeting).  Yet there's also a sizeable libertarian contingent in the state.  They may not want their tax dollars used to promote drug use, but they also don't want the government dragging them to jail if they do use drugs.

So I think this deserves a special celebration.  I say we all toke up in tribute to UNH and the other seven schools on the list.  Live Free of Die, Man.