Senate Bill 56 changed marijuana laws in Ohio. Students react to the new changes in regards to campus policy. Credit: Jane Asante-Tutu | Lantern Reporter.
Marijuana laws tightened statewide as Senate Bill 56 took effect March 20. The change has not altered Ohio State’s federally-bound drug policies, but some students have expressed confusion about how the university handles intoxication and possession on campus when private, off?campus use is legal.?
Section H of Ohio State’s Student Code of Conduct prohibits the use, influence, production, distribution, sale or possession of drugs or drug paraphernalia in accordance with federal law. These restrictions apply to all university property and facilities.?
Aiden Vaught, a second-year in political science, said he understood the Alcohol and Other Drugs Policy, but found the university’s stance on students arriving intoxicated to be a blurry line when it came to enforcement.
“People come from off-campus, and they’re drunk all the time or they’re high,” Vaught said. “I don’t think what happens off campus has anything to do with Ohio State.”
Erin Woods, a staff attorney at Student Legal Services, said that under university policy, a mandated reporter is required to investigate if they suspect a student is under the influence of marijuana. Odor, behavior and belief of possible possession in campus buildings or residence halls is enough for reporters to begin questioning, conduct room checks and take further action.
“RAs have to go check it out, knock on the door and ask a question like, ‘Do you have marijuana? Are you smoking here?’” Woods said. “If they say yes, the RA is going to come in and remove that [substance], potentially call the cops, issuing a citation for illegal possession.”
Under SB 56, the vaporization of medical marijuana is only permitted in private residences in Ohio. For students off-campus, that means enforcement comes from landlords in apartments and homes. Students in residence halls are entirely prohibited from possessing marijuana.
Jana Hrdinová, administrative director of the Drug Enforcement and Policy Center, said restrictions also apply to student employees. If a supervisor suspects intoxication at work, a student may be required to complete a drug test as part of the university’s Policy 7.30 Checklist. Failure to comply or complete required education or treatment could lead to corrective action, including termination.
“If somebody is using marijuana for medical reasons, the employment policy still stands,” Hrdinová said. “Using it for relief of anxiety or pain does not excuse you being intoxicated in a place of work.”
Woods advised students with marijuana prescriptions to carry proper documentation to avoid confusion upon questioning.
“Keep it in the same original packaging, don’t move it into something else, keep your [medical marijuana] card on you,” Woods said.
Ohio State’s approach to marijuana violations follows a “progressive discipline” model: education for first?time or lower?level incidents, followed by stricter consequences for repeated misconduct.
“Punishments can range from a formal reprimand, suspension, probation, expulsion,”? Woods said. “There usually is an educational component, CASICS, which is meeting with someone from OSU and talking about the harmful effects of marijuana and smoking.”
For students, complying with the university’s alcohol and drug policy starts with understanding distinctions between Ohio’s legalization of marijuana and the federal laws the university is required to follow.
