Marijuana and the medical marijuana industry have become part of Boulder and for some CU students this may present a challenge.
Elissa Berlinger, the conduct officer for the CU Office of Student Conduct, said there are serious consequences for possession and consumption on campus.
“The University has taken a stance that students are not allowed to posses marijuana on campus whether they have a medical marijuana card or not,” Berlinger said.
For those students who have legitimate illness and are being treated with marijuana, they do have options to avoid campus sanctions she said.
“They can petition to be released from their housing contract to avoid judicial sanctions,” Berlinger said. “That way they can use the marijuana off campus in their own private residency.”
For the rest of the student population that chooses to use marijuana on campus, the university has sanctions and policies in place.
“Whether it be an RA or campus security [that catches the student], they do have to call law enforcement,” she said. “Law enforcement asses the situation and they give some kind of ticket.”
The ticket could be for possession, paraphernalia, or even consumption, she said.
The university used to have a “3-strike” policy, but that system has since been replaced.
“Everyone is an individual, so we like to hear everyone’s individual stories,” she said.
The first offense entails probation for a semester, a parent notification letter, some type of community service and an educational class, Berlinger said. The sanctions are more intense for subsequent offenses, depending on the severity of the subsequent offense and the amount of time passed between the previous offense and the present one. For more serious and subsequent offenses, the student could face suspension.
Another important item to note is that, according to the Office of Student Conduct, the university has a zero-tolerance policy on drug dealing.
“Those students are looking at suspension and law enforcement would be involved,” Berlinger said. “It really impacts the community. It puts much more risk and danger in the community”.
Some students, like Jordan Walters, a 21-year-old junior integrative physiology major, said they wish marijuana was either completely legal or illegal.
“I don’t think they should be able to do that,” Walters said. “There should be a reform in the law. They should make it stricter or just make it legal.”
Benjamin Shatz, a 20-year-old senior physics major, said he has a different view on the issue.
“Colorado can’t legalize marijuana outright, so that’s why we have medical marijuana,” Shatz said. “The system is a facade so you can’t really abuse it.”
The Office of Student Conduct said they have seen problems with the abuse of medical cards, which is why they have taken the stance they have on medical cards and medical possession on campus.
Belinger said regarding the abuse of medical marijuana, “It’s disheartening, because it [medical marijuana] could have potential uses, it is taking away the credibility.”
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Isa Jones at Alexandra.i.jones@colorado.edu.
