A Purdue University student group believes it now has leverage that could lead to changes in the university's residence hall marijuana policy.

By a vote of 2,970 to 2,567 -- a 54-to-46 margin -- Boilermakers voted in favor of making the punishment for getting busted for pot in campus housing on par with being caught with alcohol.

The nonbinding student referendum was included on ballots during the Purdue Student Government elections held March 30 through April 1. Results were released late Monday afternoon.

"Now that we have the results, we're wanting to sit down and have talks with the residence hall council," said junior Sara Wislocki, president of Purdue's chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, or NORML.

"... When we first contacted the residence halls, before speaking with us they wanted to know what proof we had that students would want this change."

Lisa Heinhold, university residences administrator for conduct, said Monday night that she had not yet heard results of the vote. She said the university's response would depend on NORML's attempts to contact administrators.

Currently, students caught with alcohol in residence halls face a range of penalties, which include referral to an alcohol education program or being kicked out of campus housing for continued violations.

But residence hall contracts are terminated the first time a student is caught with marijuana or other illegal drugs.

Sophomore Nick Krebs voted in favor of the referendum because he believes the discrepancy is unfair.

"If your roommate has marijuana and the cops come, you can get kicked out whether or not you knew about the marijuana," Krebs said. "Obviously, they're treated differently by the law, and I respect that. But in a college setting, the university needs a policy that gives students the best chance for education."

Senior Jaime Syburg, executive director of communications for Purdue Student Government, said the vote does not mean the university must change its policy.

She described the referendum as a way to survey students' thoughts.

"This was simply to provide information for NORML to back their position, their agenda," Syburg said. "It's not binding by any means. It's not going to change anything. It was basically research to help NORML with whatever they plan to do next."

Purdue Student Government typically is not involved in situations in which a student is kicked out of his residence hall, unless disciplinary actions are handed down by the university and the student appeals.

NORML worked with Safer Alternative For Enjoyable Recreation, a Denver-based group that is pushing colleges to reconsider policies around student marijuana use.

"We're looking at it from the angle of marijuana being safer than alcohol," Wislocki said. "Students causing the majority of problems are the ones who are too intoxicated. As a woman, I'd rather be around men smoking than those who are drinking -- they have less aggressive behavior.

"Yet the university's policy is more lenient toward alcohol."