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Equality for weed, alcohol offenses |
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Written by Robyn Sidersky - Central Florida Future
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Friday, 15 February 2008 |
The student body will have the chance to influence change in the Golden Rule when they vote in the SGA Presidential Elections next week.
The SGA Senate passed a resolution to put a referendum on the ballot asking students their opinions on the issue of equal punishment for marijuana and alcohol.
The ballot will pose the following question to the student body:
"Do you support revising the Golden Rule setting an equal maximum punishment guideline for minor, on-campus marijuana and alcohol offenses for first, second and third time offenses, as defined by the Office of Student Conduct?"
Sen. Brendon Rivard is one of the senators who sponsored the resolution in senate.
"We're doing it to compare marijuana to alcohol and allow people to
realize that marijuana is safer and more responsible, and people should
not be punished more harshly for it," Rivard said.
The inspiration for the resolution came from Safer Alternative for
Enjoyable Recreation (SAFER), an organization that is fighting for
equal treatment of marijuana and alcohol at colleges across the country.
"Our organization started in response to the alcohol- related deaths on
college campuses and other alcohol related problems," said Mason Tvert,
executive director of SAFER. "We really just think it makes no sense to
push students to drink rather than use marijuana."
Rivard emphasized that he and NORML feel that alcohol is much more dangerous of a drug than marijuana.
"To punish someone for marijuana is telling someone to go get drunk, go
drink, go choose the more dangerous drug," Rivard said. "Why punish
students for making a safer choice?"
The resolution went through the Senate on third reading on Feb. 7 with only one vote against it.
If the student body votes in favor of the referendum, the long process
begins to try to change the Golden Rule. The referendum would go before
the Golden Rule review committee.
Similar policy changes have been successful across the country at
colleges such as Florida State University, University of Maryland,
University of Texas-Austin, University of Colorado-Boulder, Colorado
State University, University of Washington, George Washington
University and the College of William and Mary.
Tvert said he doesn't think it's the university's job to be policing
students. He also said that he thinks the university is sending the
wrong message.
"Basically, it's well-known that they face far grater punishments for
marijuana than alcohol, and more so for students 21 and up, there is no
punishment for consuming alcohol," Tvert said.
Both presidential tickets have their opinions on the issue.
"We are definitely in support of students being given second chances
for mistakes they make," said Logan Berkowitz, a presidential
candidate. "The truth is, no more students get kicked out for alcohol
than marijuana. Their punishments are very, very similar to be honest."
Vice presidential candidate Austin Smith, who is running against Berkowitz, had a different opinion.
"Officially, the campaign is for making changes to conduct, rule and
UCF policies so UCF students are directly included," Smith said. "I am
definitely going to vote yes on this referendum."
The students will have their say next week when they vote on Feb. 18, 19 and 20. |
