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UMd. Students Endorse Softer Marijuana Penalties |
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Written by NBC 11 News – Baltimore (WBALTV)
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Friday, 14 April 2006 |
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- A referendum to loosen on-campus penalties for marijuana possession was approved by two-thirds of the students who voted in the University of Maryland's student government elections this week.
The vote makes the university the fifth school in the nation where students have endorses similar referenda that lessen penalties so that they are treated the same as alcohol violations, part of a campaign to make marijuana a safer alternative to drinking.
"We are pumped," said senior and campaign activist Damien Nichols, while wearing a T-shirt bearing a marijuana leaf. "The students have spoken!"
The administration, however, may not be listening.
The vote is largely symbolic - students have no actual power to change school policies. And only 4,500 of the 25,000 undergraduates eligible to vote in the student government elections case ballots.
Linda Clement, the university's vice president for student affairs and administration, said the school takes student opinions seriously but doubted the university would change its rules to treat marijuana and alcohol the same way. She noted marijuana can lead to harder drugs, dealers and crime.
"You've got to look at these two issues differently," she said. "Our campus police believe very strongly that drug activity attracts people to the campus who are dangerous."
The vote comes after students have taken part in several post-game melees after wins by university teams in the past several years, most fueled in part by alcohol. Last week, drunken students set fires in College Park after the women's basketball team won the national title.
The campaign, under the name Safer Alternative for Enjoyable Recreation, to loosen marijuana penalties began at the University of Colorado and Colorado State University after two students died after drinking. Students at the University of Texas and Florida State University passed similar proposals earlier this year.
However, none of the schools changed their policies.
Students at Maryland caught with drugs could be suspended for a year and be forced to move out of on-campus housing. Students can opt for ongoing education and drug testing as an alternative to suspension, said John Zacker of the university's director of student conduct.
Those who violate alcohol rules are less likely to lose housing or be suspended, he said. The school, with about 35,000 students, has hundreds of liquor violations every year and fewer than 100 drug violations, Zacker said.
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