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MSU: LEGAL POSSESSION WILL NOT LEAD TO JAIL

As East Lansing City Council works toward an ordinance to finalize the city's stance on medical marijuana, the rules for having medical marijuana on campus have become hazy to some.

Despite various media reports that students will be arrested for being in legal possession of the substance on campus, university spokesman Kent Cassella said these reports are untrue.

"They've got the story wrong," Cassella said.

Although patients in possession of the allowable amount of medical marijuana on campus are subject to disciplinary action under the MSU student judicial process according to the MSU Drug and Alcohol Policy, Cassella said the university won't have anyone arrested for possession.

"If someone gets arrested by the MSU police for having over the allowable amount or without a valid certificate, you're obviously in more trouble," he said.

"It's similar to being out tailgating during times prohibited by university alcohol policies."

Although she doesn't think students should be walking down the street with marijuana, biology freshman Teeoncey Sanders doesn't think there should be consequences for medical marijuana patients using the substance on campus, especially in their dorm rooms.

"It's legal to have ( medical marijuana ) now," Sanders said.

"( MSU officials ) shouldn't be able to put them in the judicial system for having something they're allowed to have.  They obviously need it for a reason."

East Lansing City Council voted Tuesday to extend a moratorium on passing ordinances in regard to medical marijuana, postponing a decision on policies until February 2011.

The moratorium makes it illegal for medical marijuana dispensaries to exist in the East Lansing area.  Despite reports that there are local dispensaries open and functioning in East Lansing, Darcy Schmitt, East Lansing's planning and zoning administrator, said any operating dispensaries are illegal at this point in time.

"There are none that we're aware of," Schmitt said.  "And if they did exist, they would be illegal."

Schmitt said East Lansing is not in the same position as Lansing, where dispensaries were opening while the city was trying to put an ordinance in place.

"That's why we have the moratorium," she said.

"We wanted to make sure any businesses of this type would be set up in a way that the city is comfortable with.  We didn't have businesses that were grandfathered in."

Lansing City Council officials approved an ordinance this summer making medical marijuana dispensaries legal, said Monica Lara, a spokeswoman for the city of Lansing.

Lansing city officials were not available to comment further Wednesday.