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COLLEGE
Marijuana

Despite voter approval, marijuana use still prohibited on most campuses

Priscilla Alvarez

On Nov. 4, voters in Oregon passed Measure 91 which permits the possession, use, and cultivation of marijuana by adults 21 and older. The law takes effect July 2015 and will allow those of age to possess up to eight ounces of marijuana in their household and up to one ounce in public.

But that doesn't mean student will be lighting up at the University of Oregon.

“Marijuana use is, and will continue to be, prohibited on campus,” said University of Oregon Vice President for Student Life Robin Holmes in an email. “Because Measure 91 does not make any significant changes to Oregon law until July 2015, we will be working between now and then to address any necessary policy changes as a result of the change in state law.”

The University of Oregon prohibits the manufacture, processing, distribution or cultivation of any drug -- as well as its sale and possession -- according to the student conduct policy.

“If the university already has policies for alcohol, it can institute similar policies for marijuana. I don’t see it being much of a problem,” Senior Daisy Quiñonez says.

Passage of Measure 91 is encouraging researchers to review marijuana policy and educational opportunities for students, according to Oregon State University instructor Seth Crawford, an expert in policies and market structure of marijuana in Oregon.

“It does seem to have generated a bit of extra legitimacy about marijuana to the point where we have a lot of researchers in a number of different aspects about marijuana,” Crawford says.

Next year, Oregon State University will offer a course called “Marijuana Policy in the 21st Century."

In Washington D.C., voters approved Initiative 71 which which legalizes adult marijuana use, possession of up to two ounces and home cultivation of up to six marijuana plants for personal use. Though voters approved the initiative, it must pass a Congressional review before becoming law.

And while marijuana has been legalized in some states, it remains illegal under federal law. Universities in Washington and Colorado -- where voters approved a ballot initiative in 2012 -- are expected to comply with federal law, since they rely on federal funding.

Seattle University still prohibits the possession of any amount of marijuana despite, Initiative 502 that was passed in Washington in 2012 allowing people over the age of 21 to possess small amounts of marijuana.

The Office of the University Counsel released a memorandum stating, “the use and possession of marijuana on campus or in association with any university-sponsored or affiliated activity or program is prohibited.”

These measures are necessary to prevent losing federal funds for student financial aid, faculty research, and other important programs and services, according to the memorandum.

At the University of Colorado Boulder the restrictions are similar, as the university also prohibits the use or possession of marijuana on campus, according to their student conduct policy.

 Priscilla Alvarez is a senior at Virginia Tech. 

This story originally appeared on the USA TODAY College blog, a news source produced for college students by student journalists. The blog closed in September of 2017.

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