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Marijuana Referendum Doesn’t Belong on the Ballot
The SGA’s decision to include a marijuana policy referendum in next week’s election ballot is inappropriate considering its limited scope of powers.
Diamondback | 04/03/06

The SGA voted last week to add a referendum question to the upcoming SGA election ballot asking students if they think the university punishments for marijuana use and possession should be equal to those given to underage students caught with alcohol.

Though the Student Government Association should be commended for trying to find student opinion on a policy issue, we question the appropriateness of this particular measure. By making this a question on the ballot, the SGA is granting special status to marijuana policy, ahead of other issues such as postgame rioting or the student group funding process — issues directly in the purview and responsibilities of the SGA.

By voting on an issue the SGA wields no policy making ability or influence over, discussion is going down a fruitless path. Even if students vote yes, how seriously can university administration consider a non-binding referendum held by a powerless, in this instance, organization and supported by less than 20 percent of the undergraduate population?

Instead, why not focus on issues where the SGA is directly concerned, such as postgame rioting or even the transparency of the SGA finance process? One of the few true powers of the SGA is to distribute about $1.5 million in student group fees, and students currently have absolutely no control over funding rules and procedures. It’s well past time for there to be a public discussion on the group funding process, and the ballot is a perfect place to begin.

Whether the marijuana policy is an appropriate question, a probable side effect will be an increase in voter participation, and that’s to be encouraged. Anything that involves students voluntarily participating in the process is positive, but the SGA should have picked a more fitting subject. The SGA should reserve referendum questions for issues of direct import, instead of inserting any old question that comes to mind.

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