Marijuana is safer than alcohol. That's the message from a group at the University of Virginia Thursday afternoon. 

"Students for Sensible Drug Policy" joined students at more than 80 other colleges nationwide to push universities to stop driving students to drink and allow them to use marijuana, which they call a safer recreational alternative.  They argue that policies on campuses punish students more harshly for pot than for alcohol violations. 

Katherine Fishbeine, with Students For Sensible Drug Policy, says "We're trying to, across the country, hand it out to all of college campus presidents and have them sign it to say that they acknowledge that marijuana is a safer choice than alcohol and they appreciate that this is a choice that should be made." 

There were also rallies at Virginia Tech, Virginia Commonwealth and Old Dominion universities.