Since the start of the academic year, the Case Western Reserve University Police Department has dealt with a number of cases of marijuana use in university buildings. While this is nothing especially new, the number of these incidents seems to be on the rise lately, and, like alcohol abuse, something we here at CWRU PD have had to deal with more frequently.

This article is not intended to be a debate on the pros and cons of marijuana use, but rather to focus on the law and the policy here at CWRU. It is worth noting however, that like alcohol and tobacco use, studies have found that there are potential consequences for your health that go along with marijuana use as well—something to think about.

First off, in case the lack of mountains has not clued you in, we are not in Colorado here.

Marijuana is still illegal in Ohio to possess, grow, use or sell. Possession of small amounts is typically a misdemeanor offense, possession of large amounts by weight or having marijuana that is packaged for sale are felony offenses. Felony offenses can definitely put a crimp in your graduate school or future employment plans. It is also a violation of university policy.

Marijuana often gives off a distinct odor that is easily detectible in places like residence halls and tricks like stuffing towels under the door don’t work. And like on airplanes, disabling
smoke detectors is illegal and generally a bad idea, and will be detected.

And on a different but related subject, like any place with a population of several thousand people, CWRU has a lot of people on prescription medication. Prescription medications need to be kept in the bottle they came in with the name of the doctor and the patient on the front.

Mixing multiple prescriptions or dosages in one bottle, and certainly selling medications to someone for whom they were not prescribed is also a bad idea and illegal. Something to keep in mind.

On the Beat is a weekly safety column written by Sergeant Jeffrey Daberko & Officer Mark (The Crossing Guard) Chavis of CWRU PD. Send feedback to this or other columns at policecolumn@case.edu.