I believe the statistics reported are unreasonably low, with the amount of drugs that are really in the area. Taking place during Street Painting, there were fliers around campus for only three days before the meeting. At many points during the hour-long event, it felt like more people were under the Hubbell tree getting stoned than there were painting the street. Many people know how accessible marijuana is. But over the summertime, especially, it is easier to find cocaine than marijuana.
Cocaine is a back-room drug.
Coke is still taboo for college students outside of certain social circles. Regardless of how much time you spend in Des Moines over the year, whether or not you use drugs, and to what degree you are aware of drug usage on and around campus, this is an issue that affects you. At Drake, the supposed crime problem area is east of campus. And many people have shared the experience of being offered drugs in that area. But, as is the case with many problems facing America, the white powder scene involves more white people than our government or upper classes care to admit.