Legalizing marijuana is impacting college drug policies

As over a dozen cities and states decriminalize marijuana (which means that there is minimal if any penalty for possessing small amounts of weed), college campuses are grappling with their own stances on the debate, reports The Atlantic’s Citylab blog. “While they may firmly adhere to the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act—taking measures to prevent recreational drug use and penalize students for it—the reality of cannabis on campus is much hazier.”

Changing laws make the distinctions perhaps even more confusing; almost 50 percent of all states have passed medical marijuana laws, and four states (Washington, Colorado, Oregon and Alaska, plus D.C.) have passed “social-use laws.” Although college campuses can prohibit drug use, students over age 21 can use the drug off-campus in areas of the country where it has been legalized.

The laws also mean that certain schools are considering changing or improving their drug education. Take Washington state, where Initiative 502 raised major concerns for Washington State University staff. Melynda Huskey, dean of students, worked with campus and city police and the school’s health director to educate students.

Though the school’s policy prohibits any marijuana use, Huskey explains, “I think our drug education is generally more nuanced than, ‘just say no.’… We try to make sure our messaging is very clear about what students need to know to stay clear of any possible entanglements when they’re on campus. And then in terms of health promotion and legality, make sure that they have access to really good information about the choices that they make once they’re 21 and off campus.”

In Colorado, where social-use has been approved, students age 21 and up found to possess a small amount of weed may merely be disciplined at school; prior to the social-use law, students in the same situation could be cited by law enforcement. University of Colorado, Boulder spokesman Ryan Huff explains to The Atlantic, “You cannot smoke it in public. You cannot possess it in the residence halls. So all the same rules still apply,” Huff said. “I’d say that all that we’ve really done is increase our messaging, just to be clear, especially with out-of-state students. Because I think there’s some misperception that after Amendment 64 [which established social-use], anything goes with marijuana.”

Boulder’s drug violations have been reduced from 1,145 to 588; the drop is attributable, according to dean of students Christina Gonzalez, to a new approach based on instructing students, not punishing them. “We have students who are still developing and figuring things out,” Gonzales told The Atlantic. “So, if we have to be punitive, we will, but we would rather be educational and have conversations with our students, remind them of policies, maybe send them to some educational workshops—rather than going the route of just citing them right away.”

Another related hurdle is medical marijuana use; campus health facilities do offer meds, but cannot distribute medical marijuana due to federal law. The president of Mount Holyoke College — which is located in Massachusetts where medical marijuana is legal for certain patients — addressed this question with the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts.

Yet even the Association seems at a loss given the many laws surrounding marijuana use. “Bottom line: there’s a clear conflict between state laws, public opinion, and current federal statute,” Richard Doherty, president of the Association, explained. “Informal—and, in some cases, conflicting—Department of Justice guidance is not enough. Desire for clarity continues to grow as more and more states adopt differing laws.” That lacking clarity will continue to impact life and law enforcement both on and off campus.