UCF STUDENTS: LET'S WAIT ON CHANGING POT PUNISHMENT

A UCF student rules-advisory committee cast a tie vote Tuesday,
delaying a proposal to equalize school punishments for alcohol and
marijuana violations.

Proponents for the change said stiffer penalties for marijuana
encourage University of Central Florida students to abuse alcohol.

School administrators will have final say.

"I think the committee postponed saving lives," said senior Brendon
Rivard, president of the UCF chapter of the National Organization for
the Reform of Marijuana Laws.

The UCF movement to put marijuana penalties on par with those for
alcohol follows a national trend. Groups such as NORML contend
alcohol is linked far more often than marijuana to fatal crashes,
poisoning and other mishaps.

In a UCF referendum earlier this year, nearly 57 percent of student
ballots were in favor of equalizing penalties.

One member was absent Tuesday when the Golden Rule Review Committee,
comprised of seven students, cast a 3-3 tie. They are expected to
address the matter again in January.

State criminal laws will not be affected by UCF actions.