WHAT HAPPENED ON SEPTEMBER 10TH?

Two similar incidents were spotlighted in the Thresher. First, an overly
intoxicated football player caused a disturbance. He was loud and violent.
It took 4 officers to get him under control and take him to the police
station. Meanwhile, four students were out of sight and quietly smoking a
joint on a balcony. When they were discovered they complied with the
officers' requests.

Unfortunately, the fate of these students was not the same. The football
player was released to the masters and Coach Hatfield handled any necessary
disciplinary action. All of the students involved in the marijuana incident,
regardless of whether they were smoking or were in possession of marijuana,
received a punishment. The obvious reason for the difference in disciplinary
action is that marijuana is an illicit substance and alcohol is not.

The campus police are getting kudos from many students for handling the
marijuana incident the way they did. I mean, hey, they could've arrested and
prosecuted them, right? But it's a shame that they had to do anything at
all. It's a shame that a roommate who was sleeping at the rime is now on
probation because he admitted to smoking with his roommates in the past. The
reason that it's a shame is because it was a victimless crime. No overly
high student became loud. No one was threatened. A smell was all that was
wrong. A smell that by law compelled the campus police to act.

The actual dangers of marijuana use have been exaggerated. No one
over-doses on marijuana. Psychological addiction is rare and physical
addiction is almost unheard of. Why, then, are marijuana laws so harsh?
Because many laws have been written out of fear and in ignorance of the
actual effects of the drug. The fear that marijuana is a "gateway" drug is
unfounded. If drugs such as alcohol, tobacco and caffeine are legal to
consume, marijuana should be as well.

Students are not going to stop smoking marijuana. Every single day someone
lights up on Rice's campus. It's not an issue of rebellion; students smoke
marijuana because it's enjoyable. As a supportive community we need to face
these facts and decide how to best deal with this drug. If you know someone
who smokes marijuana, ask them why they do it and what it's like? Sift
through the myths (i.e. marijuana lowers sperm count) and find out what
the actual health risks are from smoking. Decide for yourself is the drug is
creating the problem or is the laws are creating the problem. But most
importantly, if you encounter a Rice student smoking and it bothers you: ask
them to stop or tell them to leave. Treat them like you would any one who's
had a few beers. Call a RA or college justice, but don't make the situation
bigger than it needs to be. The punishment should fit the crime. Support the
equalization of drug laws.

Jennifer Hitt