(The Beacon)
By John McCarty, Staff Commentary -- The Beacon
My few memories of freshman year are really just a continuous beer ... I mean blur. I remember moving all my belongings into Villa to the tune of "Don't Stop Believing" and awkwardly meeting my peers and their parents. I remember going to my first soccer game in a toga and yelling until I could no longer speak, and I remember former hall director-turned-police officer Tommy Stoffel giving a rousing welcome speech to the new residents of Villa.
Stoffel touched on the usual topics of brotherhood and chivalry and explained some of the ground rules for on-campus living. I only remember bits and pieces of Stoffel's speech that night, but my most vivid recollection is of his description of UP's policy toward illicit drugs.
The speech went from funny to serious in an instant and Tommy said something like: "Portland is a very ‘green' city. However, this is not a ‘green' campus."
The first of 24 states to decriminalize the possession of under an ounce of marijuana, Oregon continues to play an exemplary role in progressive drug law reformation; however, here at UP "pot" is still taboo.
Other schools around the country are open to pro-legalization discussions and organizations like Safer Alternative for Enjoyable Recreation (SAFER), while UP holds tight to Reagan-era drug policies.
Let me begin, however, by applauding the aims of the University's policy regarding substance abuse. The policy it is based on a respect for oneself and the community. Arguably, the most crucial part of becoming an adult is responsibility, and UP's substance abuse policy recognizes this. The policy allows students to enjoy themselves responsibly while still holding them accountable for the effects they have on themselves and the surrounding community.
That said, I feel the punishment for marijuana possession doesn't quite fit the crime, especially in consideration of the comparatively harmless punishment for alcohol violations.
First, let's get the facts straight. If you still think marijuana is a gateway drug, I urge you to take down your Nancy Reagan "Just Say No" poster and make use of your Google search bar.
Researchers at the University of New Hampshire investigated marijuana's role as a gateway drug only to find that the stresses in an individual's life are more often the root cause of progression to other, sometimes harder, drugs.
They aren't the only ones to debunk the popular gateway drug myth, and furthermore, anyone could frame alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, fast food or even sugar as a gateway drug.
In terms of harm to the surrounding community, who do you think does more damage to themselves and their peers: the belligerently drunk student who vomits all over his dorm room and passes out or the pot smoker who buys as much Commons food as he can carry?
All kidding aside, a variety of independent research groups have worked to rank marijuana, alcohol and other drugs with potential for abuse in terms of risk for dependency, physical harm and social repercussions. Though there is an inherent variability in rankings between studies, marijuana never fails to rank well below alcohol and tobacco. In many cases, alcohol is ranked as more dangerous than tobacco.
Should a member of the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) find you in possession of less than an ounce of marijuana, you will be charged with a violation (read: glorified parking ticket) and face fines between $100 and $1,000 dollars which sometimes be waived with community service.
Should the University find you in possession of less than an ounce of marijuana … Well that's really up to the judiciary committee that oversees your fate on a case-by-case basis, but you are immediately sent to a suspension hearing even though you may or may not actually be suspended. I would argue that being expelled is not unlike being fined for all tuition paid up to that point, not to mention that expulsion significantly inhibits your chances of being accepted at another school.
If you are trying to sell weed it's a different (read: criminal) ballgame with corresponding punishments, and, in most cases, expulsion from UP is going to be much better than what PPB will charge you with.
The city treats alcohol-related crimes quite harshly. A Minor in Possession of Alcohol violation in Oregon carries a minimum $320 fine and can include probation, jail time, community service and classes about alcohol abuse. For the sake of brevity I'll avoid discussing the penalties for DUIs or providing a minor with alcohol and/or a place to drink. But the University's response is different; it suffices to say if you are found to be under the influence or in possession of alcohol, or both, by a member of Public Safety your punishment is dependent on your cooperation. You'll appear before a judiciary board and can face fines, probation, classes, writing papers and even – Oh God! – being moved to a different residence hall.
I understand the University has obligations to the Federal Government under the Drug Free Schools and Communities Act and that alcohol is legal while marijuana is not. However, it is important to consider what kind of message the University is sending its students when use of a comparatively harmless drug is punished severely while students can violate the alcohol policy up to three times before any meaningful punishment is enforced.
John McCarty is a junior English major. He can be contacted at mccarty12@up.edu.
