Lothar121

Marijuana Lobby Aims Off Target
Megan Maizel | Diamondback Online | 09/05/2006

This past April during SGA elections, a referendum was passed suggesting the punishments in dorms for marijuana and alcohol be the same. As it stands currently, marijuana is listed as a “Section A” offense, meaning any individual caught with marijuana will have his or her housing terminated immediately, as well as be subject to other potential punishments. Possession of alcoholic beverages, meanwhile, is listed under “Section B,” which requires a warning and probation from housing, as well as potential community service for first offenses.

The referendum represented a widespread view on campus that the marijuana restrictions are overly harsh, and that the drug should be categorized differently than other potentially more harmful substances. However, the movement to loosen restrictions on the drug, while impressive in its numbers and passionate leaders, is a cause lacking any real hope.

The reason I write this is a very simple one, and one that is all too often overlooked by passionate students: marijuana is illegal. In the United States, it is illegal to possess, distribute, or use marijuana. Period. While some may argue that underage drinking is illegal as well, the fundamental truth is that alcohol itself is not classified by the Drug Enforcement Administration as illegal to possess, as marijuana is. That being said, I am just a little confused as to how campus groups such as Students for a Sensible Drug Policy feel they are going to get a movement passed to change the resident life student code of conduct. One can only hope their proposals are only symbolic, and that these students don’t actually believe this ludicrous movement will be recognized by the administration.

This is not to say I disagree with the points the groups address. They argue that marijuana is not nearly as harmful as alcohol, and that students under the influence of marijuana are not an immediate threat to themselves or their fellow students (though the Dorito rack at Wawa should probably watch its back). I do tend to agree with this — alcohol-related violent crimes seem to be much more common than marijuana-related ones. Another good point addressed is that we are wasting our time and money incarcerating otherwise law-abiding citizens. These groups say that as a result of these and several other reasons, marijuana punishments should be decreased.

Nonetheless, these issues are completely irrelevant in talking about campus punishments. Even if change is in the winds for marijuana laws and marijuana is indeed less harmful than the government makes it out to be, the fact is the law states marijuana is illegal and we as a school must uphold that. I’m getting awfully tired of stories about poor friends who were stripped of housing because they were caught with weed, and how unfair it is. I certainly sympathize with the situation — having housing pulled out from under your feet must not be pleasant — but it’s not like the situation is unavoidable and unjust. I have a solution for those who don’t want their housing revoked: don’t bring your weed on campus. Following the rules should not be a selective thing. You know the rules, so don’t complain when the punishments are carried out when you knowingly violate them.

So for all of you who believe our campus’ marijuana policy must change, please think about where you are directing your argument. Perhaps the intention is working your way up the ladder to higher and higher officials until a state or national law is passed, but please don’t ask me to support your endeavors to make the possession of marijuana a “Section B” offense here on campus. Doing so would put possessing this currently illegal substance on the same punishment level as throwing a Nerf football or littering inside the residence halls, and would create a mockery out of our state and national laws.

Megan Maizel is a sophomore philosophy and American studies major. She can be reached at mmaizel@umd.edu.

Buzzby

The author of this article is unbelievably naive, even for a sophomore.

She assumes a connection between state and federal laws and campus regulations that is simply not there. If this connection existed, every minor who is caught with alcohol should be turned over to the police, not given a warning. Those caught with marijuana should be turned over to the police for whatever punishment the law specifies.

The reality is that the university is under no obligation to enforce the law. Therefore, there is no reason that campus rules about marijuana have to be any more severe than campus regulations about alcohol.

Really??? When segregation was the rule, should people simply have accepted it because it was the rule? When the rule was that women couldn't vote, should everyone have nodded and said, "It must be right: it's the rule!"?

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