Marijuana often evokes images of the dregs of society, clothed in tattered tie-dye, unwashed and unmotivated, everything our parents have warned us about. Recently a small group of students opened a KU chapter for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, or NORML, to challenge these stereotypes and the laws that reinforce them.

NORML is a 30-year-old organization whose ultimate goal is the decriminalization of cannabis. Reid Calver, a sophomore from Overland Park, and the director of communications for KU’s chapter, explained the club hoped to garner support to ultimately change marijuana legislation.

“The truth is, other legal drugs like alcohol and cigarettes are much more dangerous than marijuana. Here at KU we had several alcohol-related deaths last year alone and while there have been no marijuana-related deaths, law enforcement is more lenient with alcohol violations. The members of our group want these laws to change,” Calver said.

President and founder of the KU campus chapter, Thomas Deacon, a freshman from West Lafayette, Ind., fully supports NORML’s ultimate goal of legalization.

“Marijuana is a non-toxic plant that people have used for thousands of years. There are many other uses for cannabis besides getting high. People should have the right to decide to use marijuana like they have with alcohol and tobacco,” Deacon said.

The group meets every Tuesday to answer questions about cannabis, discuss possible fundraising and watch documentaries that support marijuana usage and law reform.

“On a local level we would like a referendum at KU to lower marijuana penalties to the same level as alcohol. Right now, the University encourages the use of the deadly drug alcohol over marijuana. We believe that if students would like to use a safer drug in their own time, they can without fear of more punishment,” Deacon said.

The group is working toward hosting a concert in the spring to raise awareness and funds, but the main focus of NORML’s agenda is to pass Project SAFER. Project SAFER is a movement on college campuses across the nation to enact rules that make alcohol and marijuana penalties equal in college housing.

“If we can pass the Project SAFER referendum at KU, people in Kansas will take notice. The larger amount of supporters we can get can help in influencing actual state legislation to ease cannabis laws,” Deacon said.

Deacon is trying to reach out to the student body for their support and involvement.

“You don’t have to smoke to support expanding people’s rights and safe access to a safer drug. People who want to be involved politically in their community should join. It is a unique issue in the US because both people on the left and the right support its legalization,” Deacon said.