Pubdate: Tue, 02 May 2006
Source: Diamondback, The (U of MD Edu)
Copyright: 2006 Maryland Media, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.diamondbackonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/758
Author: Kelly Whittaker
Cited: UMD SSDP http://www.ssdpterps.net
Cited: UMD NORML http://www.normlterps.org
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topics/NORML (NORML)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?219 (Students for Sensible Drug Policy)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Marijuana)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States)

PRO-POT STUDENTS DISCOVER SUPPORT

Students Attend Forum About Looser Pot Punishments

Pro-pot student activists discovered this weekend they have much more 
support than anticipated in their quest to loosen penalties on 
marijuana-related offenses, after meeting dozens of other supporters 
at a conference in New York.

Leaders of the campus' National Organization for the Reform of 
Marijuana Laws and Students for Sensible Drug Policy convened at the 
Northeast Regional SSDP conference in New Paltz, N.Y., to meet with 
other students and have information sessions with drug reform leaders 
to discuss activism tactics on loosening pot policies on campuses.

SSDP president Damien Nichols brought 13 members of his chapter and 
NORML Terps to take part in the information sessions and social 
bonding the event offers.

"The conferences have the best and the brightest that drug policy 
reform has to offer," said Victor Pinho, current leader of NORML Terps.

Of the nine schools that attended the conference, including Brown, 
Columbia and NYU, this university brought the most representation, 
incoming SSDP president Stacia Cosner said. The attendees got a 
chance to attend different "breakout sessions" at which drug reform 
leaders spoke and members from chapters at different universities had 
the chance to form support networks.

"We came to the realization that there were many people around to 
help who feel as strongly as we do about the issue," incoming NORML 
president Matt Zernhelt said.

The groups' attendance at the event comes on the heels of a recent 
referendum on the Student Government Association elections ballot 
asking students if they were in favor of looser marijuana policies on 
the campus. The referendum passed with 65 percent of voters voting in favor.

Nichols and Pinho, who are both graduating this spring, said 
attending the conferences early in their college careers cemented 
their places in drug policy reform. The two also attended the NORML 
national conference in San Francisco two weeks ago.

"We took the momentum of passing the referendum to New Paltz and San 
Francisco and talked to some of the greatest minds in drug policy 
pulling," Pinho said.

The leaders said ever since the referendum to equalize marijuana 
punishments with those of alcohol was passed during the campus SGA 
elections in April, there has been increased support from members of 
both the campus and the drug reform communities. Pinho said activists 
and lawyers in the area have offered their help with the issue, and 
some teaching assistants have even asked them to lecture in their sections.

"We learned that there are a lot more people supporting us than you'd 
think," Cosner said. "There's a lot of influential people involved."

With the passing of the referendum, it is now up to the leaders to 
pen a reasonable proposal to present to the administration. However, 
they said they realize it will take a lot of work because the 
administration is extremely hesitant to consider changing the current policies.

Currently, students found with marijuana on the campus immediately 
lose their housing and financial aid and could face suspension or 
mandatory drug testing. Those found with alcohol, however, are first 
given a warning and community service but must be issued a second 
offense before their housing is threatened.

"The ball's in our court, it's our turn to present to the university 
what we believe is an acceptable and fair drug policy," Pinho said. 
"We know we got kind of quiet after the referendum passed, but don't 
be discouraged, campus."

Cosner said for the past month the two groups have been working 
together every day to put together a proposal. Nichols said the 
leaders will work with members of the administration and the drug 
reform community to pen a proposal that works.

"The movement's big but we need to grow," Pinho said. "We're calling 
out to students and faculty all across campus."

Linda Clement, the university's vice president for student affairs, 
was not available to comment for this story; however, she said last 
month the administration should strongly consider student opinion on 
the issue but stressed the potential dangers drugs pose to the campus 
community.

Zernhelt emphasized he is not discouraged by the administration's 
hesitance to look into new policies but looks forward to working with 
university officials to establish a reasonable marijuana policy on the campus.

"Kids would have respect for the administration and police instead of 
hating them for demonizing the average student for engaging in common 
behavior," Zernhelt said. "It's a lot of work, but it's worth doing."

Nichols also said the groups want to sit down with the administration 
to put together an educational approach to drug abuse prevention, 
instead of just punishing offenders. Pinho said both groups would 
like to facilitate workshops that would offer help to students with 
drug-abuse problems.

Currently, Cosner is leading a student advocacy group to hear from 
victims of the drug policy at the university, and hopes to expand 
that group once NORML and SSDP move into their new office in the 
Stamp Student Union's Student Involvement Suite this month. The 
advocacy group helps students work through the legal baggage that 
goes along with the campus drug punishments. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake