On Wednesday night Undergraduate Student Government hosted a debate on marijuana use, the second in a series of five. The debaters discussed Issue 5, which basically states that penalties imposed by Ohio State for the possession of marijuana should be no greater than those for alcohol.
Of the USG debates, this was the only one in which there was no opposition.
Due to the lack of response from conservative groups or health organizations, there was no strong opposition to Issue 5 present, said Alex Liber, a sophomore in biomedical sciences and member of the Election Governing Board. The two students chosen to oppose Issue 5 were eager to debate but had little knowledge or passion for the issue.
This lack of substance angered the audience, most of which seemed to be in favor of lessening the punishment for marijuana possession to equal that of alcohol possession.
"People were getting mad at them, and thought less of them," Liber said.
During the debate, Greg Carlson, a freshman in engineering, and Vlad Kachka, a junior in political science and also a member of the debate team, argued that Issue 5 could keep resident advisors in the dorms from using their discretion to decide how to handle marijuana related offenses.
"Deciding a course of action is a case-by-case decision," Carlson said, adding that there are factors involved such as how the student caught was behaving, and their prior history.
Carlson and Kachka also focused on the implications of a policy such as this, which could suggest that OSU is lenient on marijuana use.
Carlson fears a backlash and a tarnishing of the school's reputation.
"It may not offend us, but it may offend others," he said, suggesting that Ohio taxpayers and supporters could be angry about the university's potential leniency.
Zach Germaniuk and Colin McClory, the students debating for the passage of Issue 5, also focused on the implications of such a policy.
"A change in policy can bring about reforms," McClory said, a junior in finance and the treasurer of SSD.
"The whole point of this initiative is to get people talking about drug policy and to serve as a catalyst for people to get involved on campus," Germaniuk said, a senior in English and president of SSDP.
The pair also addressed the difference in treatment of students who violated policy concerning marijuana and those who were caught with alcohol.
Students caught with marijuana in the dorms not only are subject to harsher penalties, but can also go to jail, Germaniuk said.
"We're asking for a common- sense policy," he said. "The powers that be lump all drugs together."
"Simple possession of marijuana should have the same weight as catching an underage person with alcohol," McClory said.
Everdeen Mason can be reached at mason.388@osu.edu.
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Viewing Comments 1 - 7 of 7
Michael C. Chapman
posted 4/04/08 @ 10:01 AM EST
I was fascinated by the fact that USG debated this issue. Interestingly enough, I'm not sure if it was a good use of time. Reason being, save for having a large amount, possession of marijuana is treated similarly to an underage alcohol offense in the office of Student Judicial Affairs. (Continued…)
SJAMIKE
Michael C. Chapman
posted 4/04/08 @ 10:13 AM EST
I was fascinated by the fact that USG took the time to debate this issue. Interestingly enough, I'm not sure it was an effective use of time. As a Hearing Officer in the office of Student Judicial Affairs at OSU, I can speak to the fact that, aside from having a large amount, simple possession of marijuana is treated similarly to an underage alcohol offense. (Continued…)
Keith Alltop
posted 4/04/08 @ 10:22 AM EST
Hello from a 1983 graduate.
Yes, way back then we had issues and debates as you are having now on marijuana use. I do worry about the university's risk of lawsuits though when we leave it up to dorm advisors to ascertain the mental and physical status of students using marijuana in dorms. (Continued…)
Brian M.
posted 4/04/08 @ 12:23 PM EST
1 out of every 100 Americans are in jail today, most of whom because of the non-violent "crime" of posessing a substance that the State thinks you should not have. (Continued…)
billyzenko
ben
posted 4/04/08 @ 12:24 PM EST
[QUOTE id="3f88023e-728d-43de-bf34-5d7b75e92619"]I sure wouldn't want to be on the legal team that would be defending OSU against parents' lawsuits if they were to discover a dorm resident knew of the use, and did not take steps to protect their student and could have interceded in avoiding a terrible negative outcome of some sort. (Continued…)
Emmett Hoveh
posted 4/04/08 @ 4:20 PM EST
I think Mr. Chapman put it very well. I happen to think the government is missing out on a good useful bit of tax revenue by keeping marijuana illegal (as such) and that people who smoke are generally no threat to anyone except themselves (or their parents, if they're the ones paying for tuition). (Continued…)
Keb Leeman
posted 4/05/08 @ 2:17 PM EST
Being a 1968 grad of OSU gives me a view that most do not have. Prohabition of anything feeds desire & possible addiction. The nature of man is to have what they cannot. (Continued…)
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